The Wall Crumbles : Gorbachev Supports E. German Changes : Diplomacy: A cable to President Bush is apparently the Soviet leader’s first public comment on the opening of the border.

DALLAS —  Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev sent President Bush an “informal message” expressing support for the spiraling political changes taking place in East Germany, the White House said Saturday.

In the message, sent by cable on Friday, Gorbachev “underscored the importance of the changes taking place there and expressed the hope that the situation will remain calm and peaceful,” White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater said.

While other Soviet officials have offered support for the dramatic moves in East Germany, the disclosure of the message to Bush was apparently the first public demonstration of Gorbachev’s backing since the East German government opened its borders last Thursday.

Fitzwater said the President probably would respond to the Soviet leader with his own encouragement of political and economic reform in East Germany this week.

For 40 years, East Germany has been a key member of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact military alliance. It has been among Moscow’s strongest supporters, both in facing off against the West and in maintaining a tight rein on its citizens.

But until last week, East Germany had refused to follow the reform path taken by Gorbachev, who reportedly encouraged the country’s new leader, Egon Krenz, to press for change.

In Moscow, Gennady I. Gerasimov, chief spokesman for the Soviet Foreign Ministry, on Thursday welcomed the formation of a new Politburo and other East German leadership changes announced the day before.

Gerasimov said the Soviet Union would accept a non-Communist government in East Germany and in other East European countries as long as they remain members of the Warsaw Pact. But he offered no comment on the opening of the East German borders.

The Gorbachev cable, relayed to Bush in Dallas, came as the superpowers watched the unfolding events in Eastern Europe, capped by the rush of East Berliners across the Berlin Wall in the wake of East Germany’s decision to abandon travel and emigration restrictions.

“We’re seeing a disintegration of that form of totalitarianism in Eastern Europe,” Bush said in an interview published Saturday.

“I hope it’s a contagious disease and Castro catches it and Daniel Ortega catches it and perhaps Gen. Noriega catches it,” he said. Fidel Castro is the leader of Cuba, Ortega is the president of Nicaragua and Manuel A. Noriega is the military leader of Panama.

But, reflecting the continuing unease, uncertainty and amazement with which senior U.S. policy-makers view the situation in Eastern and Central Europe, Bush said the low-key U.S. response stems from a desire to “not contribute to an unforeseen disorder.”

“It is very difficult to predict with certainty what is going to happen,” Bush said, while repeating his view that the change “is real.”

Bush said he has no plans to visit Berlin immediately after his meeting Dec. 2-3 with Gorbachev on U.S. and Soviet naval vessels in the Mediterranean Sea near Malta. But he did not completely rule out such a dramatic journey.

Asked whether he would fly to Berlin after the Malta meeting, he replied:

“No, no--unless there were something that developed between now and then that would make the presence of the U.S. President catalytic for peace or for evolution of democracy. But just to go there--I would not do that.”

Despite Gorbachev’s efforts to free the Soviet economy from 70 years of rigid state control, Bush said the reforms are not occurring at a pace that justifies inviting the Soviet Union to join the annual summit conference of leading industrial democracies.

But, he said, “Should the Soviets want to discuss how to improve their economy,” the United States would be willing to participate.

The text of Bush’s interview, conducted Friday by reporters from four Texas newspapers shortly after the President arrived in Dallas for an overnight visit, was made available by the news organizations Saturday.