
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, May 18, 1990                   TAG: 9005180317
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: VIENNA, AUSTRIA                                LENGTH: Short

SOVIETS TURN TO WEST FOR AID

A top economic adviser to Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev said Thursday all economic reforms in his country have failed, and he appealed to Western economists, businesses and governments for help.

"If the West would help, this would in fact make the whole difference," said Stanislav Shatalin.

He spoke at a news conference called to discuss a new plan whereby Western experts review Soviet and Eastern European economic reform proposals.

"We have come to a very profound conclusion that without the cooperation of the West, we simply can't build a market economy," said Shatalin, the only economist on the Presidential Council that has been working on Gorbachev's reforms.

"I'm sure the president too shares this position," Shatalin said.

Shatalin was not specific about the type of Western aid Moscow would like. Nor did he mention what political compromises, if any, Gorbachev might consider to secure Western support.

He admitted that reforms introduced by Gorbachev, specifically in 1988 and 1989, had not improved the economy. "If anything, the situation has deteriorated," he said.

Asked why the Soviet leadership had not acted earlier to move to a market economy, Shatalin pointed, as Gorbachev had, to popular opposition.

Gorbachev's latest package of promised reforms has not been unveiled. Gorbachev told reporters Thursday the public was to blame for their failure so far. "Changing people's minds is the most difficult thing," he said. "Perestroika depends on public opinion, and it's conservative."

by CNB