NT DTA7C 'Tl 1 O' pcf Associated Press
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Gorbachev rejects Lithuanian independence
MOSCOW-Sovietlcadcr Mikhail
Gorbachev rejected Lithuania’s dec
laration of independence and ruled
out talks with the rebellious republic
Tuesday, but lawmakers from the
region said they were sure he’d soften
his stance.
Gorbachev told the Congress of
People’s Deputies he considers the
Lithuanian move “illegal and inva
lid” and said the Kremlin would not
begin wholesale negotiations with
republics seeking independence.
“We cannot talk about negotia
tions,” he said. “You carry out nego
tiations with a foreign country.”
Gorbachev, however, also urged
patience and said Moscow’s relations
with the Baltic republic would con
tinue unchanged for now in the wake
of Sunday’s vote by Lithuanian law
makers to break away from the Soviet
Union.
Despite the Soviet leader’s tough
line, several deputies from the Baltic
republics of Lithuania, Latvia and
Estonia said they had strong reason to
believe Moscow would nonetheless
enter negotiations on independence
for the three states, which were an
nexed to the Soviet Union in 1940.
“Gorbachev is a realist,” said
Lithuanian deputy Algimantas Chck
uolis. “He’ll change his stand.”
Estonian lawmaker Endcl Lippmaa
said Estonia had already formed its
delegation for independence negotia
tions, and Lithuanian deputy Nikolai
Medvedev said he had been told talks
might begin as early as Saturday.
In its attempt to turn Sunday’s
declaration into reality, Lithuania must
work out with Moscow a daunting
array of questions, including matters
of territory, compensation, the status
of thousands of Soviet soldiers, own
ership of factories and land, and con
trol of the police and KGB.
The Tass news agency said Lithu
anian legislators declared Monday that
their sons no longer need serve in the
Soviet army. They appealed to Gor
bachev toensure the welfare of Lithu
anian soldiers until negotiations start
on mustering them out.
Lithuanian activist Arunya Con
tautaitc said Tuesday that 5,000 young
Lithuanian men out of about 15,000
conscripts had refused to enter the
army during this spring’s draft.
With so many issues to decide,
Sajudis, the Lithuanian pro-independ
ence movement that now dominates
the republic’s government, wants to
start talks right away. But Lithuanian
Communist Party Chief Algirdas
Bra/auskas, who sounded out Gor
bachev last week, said he did not
believe Moscow would agree.
“I don’t think Moscow will go for
that,” he said in an interview Mon
day on the plane from the Lithuanian
capital of Vilnius to Moscow.
Gorbachev opened the second-day
session of the Congress of People’s
Deputies on Tuesday by giving the
2,000 lawmakers an update on the
government’s reaction to the Lithu
anian vote.
‘‘I think it is illegal and invalid,”
Bush lifts Nicaraguan sanctions, requests aid
WASHINGTON - President Bush
lifted trade sanctions against Nicara
gua on Tuesday and asked Congress
to swiftly approve a $300 million
down payment for rebuilding the
nation’s ravaged economy and speed
ing a transition to democracy.
Rushing to shore up the incoming
government of President-elect Violcta
Chamorro, Bush also pledged he will
seek an additional $200 million in
fiscal 1991 which begins Oct. 1.
Bush coupled the request for Nica
ragua with a challenge to Congress to
approve a stalled aid package of S500
million for Panama, where the United
States installed a new government
after deposing Manuel Antonio Nori
ega last December.
The president urged Congress to
complete work by April 5 on money
for both countries. All the funds would
be diverted from the Pentagon’s budget,
perhaps the first real “peace divi
dcnd” from the receding Cold War.
“These nations need our help to
heal deep wounds inflicted by years
of strife and oppression, years of loss
and deprivation,” Bush said. “And
we must act and act soon.”
Rep. David Bonior, D-Mich., a
member of the House leadership and
among the foremost foes of past U.S.
policy in Nicaragua, predicted Con
gress would approve the aid before
recessing next month for Easier.
“For years we’ve been hearing
speeches about what America could
do if only Noriega and Ortega were
gone,” said Senate Minority Leader
Bob Dole, R-Kan., referring to the
former Panamanian ruler and to Nica
raguan President Daniel Oricga who
lost the election to Chamorro last
month. “Well, Oricga and Noriega
arc history. It’s time for Congress to
deliver.”
Bush announced his requests in a
41-minulc news conference, during
which he also fielded questions on
topics ranging from the budget and
foreign policy to baseball’s labor
dispute that threatens to delay the
season’s opener.
Opening his news conference, Bush
announced he had lifted the five-year
old economic embargo against Nica
ragua, one of the tools used by the
United Stales to undermine the leftist
government of Ortega.
The president also look steps to
allow Nicaragua to resume shipping
sugar to the United Stales and to make
that nation eligible for duty-free treat
ment for a variety of other products.
While acknow ledging some con
cern about the reluctance of the U.S.
backcd Contra rebels to demobili/.e
in Nicaragua, Bush said, “I’m less
concerned than I was about the peace
ful transfer of power, including the
military.”
Money for Panama and Nicaragua
will be drawn from money allotted to
the Pentagon, requiring a decision on
which defense programs will be cut.
Bush said that if Congress can’t make
up its mind about cutbacks by March
27, it should let him do the job him
self.
Of the money for Nicaragua, S75
million would be earmarked for eco
nomic restructuring, $60 million for
critical agricultural supplies, petro
leum and medical supplies, another
$60 million for development projects
and $50 million to help with foreign
debts.
Some $10 million would help pay
for “emergency employment pro
grams,” including ones designed to
help turn soldiers into farmers. In
addition, S45 million would go to
ward helping speed the repatriation
and resettlement of the U.5.-backed
Contra forces and other refugees.
he said. He won applause from ihe
Congress when he said the Kremlin
would not negotiate with republics
seeking independence.
But he also added that a “political
and judicial evaluation” was needed,
and said Premier Nikolai Ryzhkov
and a commission had begun study
ing the matter. He also proposed
charging the Supreme Soviet, the
Congress’ working legislature, with
beginning discussion of the push for
independence in Estonia and Lithu
ania within the next two days.
Gorbachev did not appear overly
angry at the Lithuanians, and even
addressed a light joke in their direc
tion. At one point, he referred to Lithu
anians as “comrades,” then paused
and said: “I think they arc comrades.”
Nebraskan
Editor Amy Edwards
472- 1766
Managing Editor Ryan Sleeves
Assoc News Editors Lisa Donovan
Eric Pfannsr
Editorial
Page Editor Bob Nslson
Wire Editor Brandon Loomis
Copy Desk Editor Darcls Wlsgsrt
Sports Editor Jeff A pal
Arts & Entertain
ment Editor Michael Deeds
Professional Adviser Don Walton
473- 7301
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1990 DAILY NEBRASKAN_ I
GOSCH MOHLING BURNHAM I
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of student parking lots.
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