The World - News from Sept. 14, 1986

State Department officials have assured U.S. residents whose spouses have been denied exit visas by the Soviet Union that their plight will be on the agenda of talks this week between Secretary of State George P. Shultz and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze. Michael Lavigne of Berkeley, Calif., one of 11 American spouses who met with State Department officials last Friday, said the officials pledged to bring up their cases “at every possible opportunity” with the Soviets. The spouses, members of the Divided Spouses Coalition, are asking that the Soviets set a firm policy so that it would no longer be necessary to fight each spousal emigration case individually.