Word: gorbachev
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Last week the Bush Administration disclosed that Moscow too was "thinking ) innovatively" about ways to unravel the gulf mess. President Mikhail Gorbachev surprised his American counterpart with an early-morning phone call to discuss possible outs, which the Administration did not describe. While downplaying these proposals, Washington was gratified that after speaking with Baker about the stalemate in Geneva, Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze sent Baghdad his own message, echoing the U.S. contention that Iraq must immediately choose war or peace...
...across the cobblestone streets of the capital's center, angry young civilians at the publishing center surrounded a tank. "Why are you here?" they screamed at a crew member. "What are you doing?" Lithuanian President Vytautas Landsbergis, charging that troops were "spilling blood," placed an urgent call to Mikhail Gorbachev. The Soviet President could not come to the phone, Landsbergis was told; he was having lunch...
Fretful foreign governments wondered whether Gorbachev would countenance % bloodshed to suppress the independence movements. A chilling indication came early Sunday morning. Thousands of unarmed Lithuanians, singing freedom songs, tried to prevent Soviet troops and tanks from taking control of a television tower 3 miles outside Vilnius. Shots were fired, and at least 7 people were reported killed and 70 injured. At least two of the dead had been crushed beneath the treads of Soviet tanks...
...tensions grew, Gorbachev provided a dark hint of the Kremlin's intentions. In a strong message to Lithuania's rebellious parliament, he said "people" had lost faith in that body's leadership and "demand the introduction of presidential rule" -- in other words, an emergency takeover by Moscow...
...sharp attack on Gorbachev, Tass commentator Andrei Orlov, known for his independent views, said Lithuania "set the example of lawlessness" with its declaration of independence, but this by no means justifies the use of military force, including tanks, against civilians...