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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 1990)
News Digest By the Associated Press Edited by Brandon Loomis Lithuania promises to consider Soviet interests Kremlin warns against power transfer MOSCOW - The Kremlin on Monday sternly warned the breaka way republic of Lithuania not to put up its own customs posts, introduce its own currency or take over Moscow run factories without permission. The nationally televised announce ment was Mikhail Gorbachev’s first concrete step to counter Lithuania’s March 13 declaration of independ ence. The announcement did not say what would happen if Lithuania ig nored the orders. Earlier Monday, a Lithuanian dele gation delivered a letter to the Krem lin that promised Soviet interests in the republic would be given “careful consideration.” The television statement accused the Lithuanian leadership of planning to turn over national factories to pri vate owners, bring in a separate cur rency and put up customs posts on the borders of the republic. It said the government was con cerned especially about nuclear en ergy plants in Lithuania and had or dered increased security around them. It accused the Baltic republic of trying to “undermine its links” with the rest of the Soviet Union, which it said could have “pernicious conse quences” for the national economy. The government said police, the KGB and customs agents would have authority in maintaining the existing customs situation. A directive was issued to the management of all Soviet enterprises and agencies in Lithuania, saying that under no circumstances should they begin negotiations on handing over their authority to local officials. Such talks can be run only by Moscow ministries, it said. Many Lithuanians say they expect Moscow to impose an economic block ade, depriving the republic of the fuel and raw materials that it receives only from the Soviet Union. The government statement con tained no such threats. Gorbachev and the Congress of People’s Deputies -- the national parliament - declared the declara tion of independence invalid last week, but Kremlin leaders have ruled out the use of troops in Lithuania. Lithuanian activist and television editor Eduardas Potash inskas said he thought most Lithuanians would take the government warning calmly. ‘‘Wc say the Soviet empire is showing its teeth,” he said by tele phone from the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. ‘‘But wc think they can’t threaten Lithuania. We’ll be calm. We’ll fall and get up, but we’ll go on.” The Bush administration said Monday it would keep an eye on Soviet military activities in the Baltic region. The White House and State Department spokesmen urged a peace ful approach to secession and reminded Gorbachev he had said force would not be used. The TV statement said the govern ment sympathized with Lithuania’s desire for greater sovereignty, but it said this should be pursued with “strict observance of Soviet laws and taking into consideration the mutual inter ests of the peoples of Lithuania and other republics.” Soviet TV has broadcast several I _ b segments in the last two days focus ing on discontent among non-Lithu anians, who comprise about 20 per cent of the republic’s 3.7 million people. On Monday evening, the nightly news program “Vremya” showed a mass meeting against Lithuanian independence in the city of Klaipeda. One speaker complained, “We don’t want to live in bourgeois Lithuania. A “Vremya” anchorman also read an appeal from a demonstration held Sunday in Vilnius that drew tens of thousands of Lithuania’s Russians, Poles and other ethnic minorities. “Hypocritically and arrogantly, the interests of many thousands of people who arc categorically against being tom from the peoples of the U.S.S.R. arc being ignored,” it said. It was addressed to Gorbachev. The appeal expressed the hope that Gorbachev would “be able to defend your fellow citizens from the encroach ments of political adventurists.” Gorbachev has said he is willing to carry ona “respectful dialogue” with Lithuanian representatives, and he reportedly met personally with a Lithu anian delegation that arrived in Moscow. The six-member delegation was headed by Egidius Bickauskas, a lawyer who recently resigned from the Lithuanian Communist Parly. It was empowered by Lithuania’s parliament to meet with Gorbachev and propose a start of negotiations on independence, said a spokesman for the Lithuanian nationalist movement, Sajudis. No Bull! | Pickles | sells more 1 1 music for less. 17th&P • 237 S. 7()th • 3814 Normal East German winners fail to shape coalition EAST BERLIN - The victori ous Alliance for Germany said Monday the German states must move more quickly to reunify, but its leader was rebuffed as he began trying to form a coalition govern ment to move the process along. A more left-leaning party, the Social Democrats, turned down an invitation to join the coalition, thus blocking the Alliance from having a two-thirds majority in Parliment. Such a majority would allow East Germany to simply declare a merger with the West. The three-party Alliance swept to victory Sunday in East Germany’s first free elections but did not win a majority in the 400-scat Parlia ment. The Alliance got a boost Mon day from perhaps its biggest sup porter, West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who promised fi nancial aid for East Germany. The chancellor had refused such aid to the Communists, who have governed since hard-liner Erich Honccker was overthrown in the fall. Lothar dc Maiziere, likely to be the next East German premier, invited the Social Democrats and the Union of Free Democrats to discuss forming a “grand coali tion” to guide the nation toward unification with the broadest pos sible consensus. The Social Democrats said moving quickly to reunify could result m a loss of East Germany’s cradle-to-grave social services and allow the country to be swallowed up by its wealthy neighbor. De Maiziere held a round of meetings Monday with the goals of forming a government and uniting with the West, “Here, we will carry forward and step up the pace of the already started negotiations,” he said. He urged “rapid introduction of a monetary, economic and so cial union” with West Germany. In a largely symbolic move, he said the Berlin Wall should be tom down “as soon as possible, as a clear sign of the merging of the two German states.” White House spokesman Mar lin Fitzwater said the vote was “a victory not only for the people” of East Germany, “but for all Ger mans and all who support demo cratic values.” Kohl’s government is scheduled to decide today on ways to halt the immigration of East Germans to his country. The exodus sparked the fall revolution and has come to strain WestGermany’s social serv ices while crippling the East’s economy. NelSfaskan Editor Amy Edwards Photo Chief Dave Hansen 472- 1766 Night News Editors Jana Pedersen Professional Adviser Don Walton Diane Brayton 473- 7301 The Daily Nebraskan(USPS 144-080) is published by the UNL Publications Board, Ne braska Union 34,1400 R St., Lincoln, NE, Monday through Friday during the academic year, weekly during summer sessions. Readers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by phoning 472-1763 between 9 am. and 5 p m. Monday through Friday The public also has access to the Publications Board. For information, contact Pam Hein, 472 2588 Subscription price is $45 for one year Postmaster: Send address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34, 1400 R St..Lincoln, NE 68588-0448. 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