Word: gorbachevized
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Under the circumstances, Gorbachev's flashes of frustration as he stalked the Kremlin anterooms in the glare of TV lights were understandable. "In politics," he grumbled, "the public doesn't accept pluralism. Perestroika depends on public opinion, and it is conservative." But Gorbachev's candidate for the presidency of the Russian federation, Alexander Vlasov, a nonvoting member of the Politburo and prime minister of the federation, hardly seems the < stirring leader needed to carry out his boss's vision. When Vlasov delivered an hour-long report last week, it was so plodding that not even Gorbachev seemed to be listening...
...What Gorbachev really wants to do is defeat Yeltsin, 59, a onetime ally who was fired from the Politburo 2 1/2 years ago, after he delivered a stinging denunciation of foot dragging by some of his conservative colleagues. But Yeltsin rose from the political dead by urging even greater and faster reforms than Gorbachev proposed. A Yeltsin victory could mark the beginning of the end for Gorbachev's brand of perestroika. Russia contains 75% of the Soviet Union's land, half of its people and most of its natural resources, which many Russians complain are being used to develop...
...parliament say the 1,050 attending Deputies are divided almost evenly into three groups: Yeltsin supporters, Vlasov loyalists and the undecided. Even the reformers have mixed feelings about the erratic, boastful populism of Yeltsin. He is, however, a vivid alternative to Vlasov, an organization man who is considered a Gorbachev puppet. "Yeltsin is a man of many contradictions," says Nikolai Yershov, a Deputy from Borovichovsky, "but a vote for him is the only guarantee that there will be no returning to the past. He's the only guy who can look Gorbachev in the eye and tell him the truth...
...leaders of the Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania also pressed ahead with their challenge to Gorbachev, possibly hoping to make their case an issue at the summit. The presidents of the three republics met on May 12 in Tallinn, the Estonian capital, to form a united front by reviving the Baltic Council, a policy-coordinating body that dates from before World War II. They sent a letter to Gorbachev asking for joint negotiations on independence. Gorbachev responded last week with two decrees that said the Baltic states were violating the Soviet constitution...
...quickly shifted toward flexibility. Seizing on an idea floated last month by French President Francois Mitterrand and West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Vilnius offered, in return for negotiations, to suspend all legislation it had passed since declaring independence. Prime Minister Prunskiene flew to Moscow to present the offer to Gorbachev. While she was still in the air, Gorbachev called the Lithuanian mission asking to see her as soon as she arrived. This was a gesture of compromise on his part, since he had insisted no talks were possible until the Lithuanians canceled their declaration of independence...