Russian hints of reducing troops along China border

A senior Soviet official was quoted in a Japanese news report from Moscow as hinting that the Soviet Union and China might agree to mutual troop reductions along their border.

The Kyodo news agency said Viktor Afanasiyev, editor in chief of the Soviet Communist Party newspaper Pravda and a party Central Committee member, gave his view to Japanese journalists in Moscow.

Kyodo quoted Mr. Afanasiyev as saying: ''It is possible that the two sides might promise each other a reduction of military forces in border areas.'' The report came after a Moscow meeting between Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko and Chinese Foreign Minister Huang Hua.