News In Brief

Bush says new Soviet chief backs 'constructive path'

Vice-President George Bush said Tuesday that the new Soviet leader, Konstantin Chernenko, agrees that US-Soviet relations should be conducted ''upon a more constructive path.'' Mr. Bush made the statement after a 30-minute meeting with Chernenko following the funeral of President Yuri Andropov. ''We felt the mood was good,'' Bush said. ''We felt the spirit of the meeting was excellent.''

It was the highest-level meeting between a Soviet leader and a top US official since Bush had an hour-long talk with Mr. Andropov after Leonid Brezhnev was buried in November of 1982.