"I think the Malta meeting will give impetus to the negotiations in Vienna," he added, referring to the talks on reductions in conventional forces.

At the Malta meeting, Presidents Bush and Gorbachev predicted that the two sides would be ready next year to sign agreements to cut conventional land forces and strategic nuclear weapons.

The most significant aspect of the Malta meeting of Bush and Gorbachev may not be the treaties or agreements it will lead to.

In his comments, Mr. Bush also appeared to be sending a message to the Western allies that there would be "no surprises" from the Malta meeting.

But Richard A. Gephardt, the House majority leader, continued to criticize Mr. Bush, saying he should convene a NATO summit conference before the Malta meeting.

But by their second Malta meeting, the skittishness between them had dissipated a bit and they found some common ground.

Consequently, the Commission's fundamental strategy for the Malta meeting will be to consolidate what we are doing year by year, so that this long term policy goes on producing results.

As for the timetable for 1996 and later: this is now being prepared, because only just before the Malta meeting was the programming completed together with the Moroccan authorities.

Before the Malta meeting, American diplomats singled out this shortcoming.

Under the schedule set at the Malta meeting, the President would probably seek the waiver around June, the time of the next summit meeting with Mikhail S. Gorbachev.