Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 2, 1990 TAG: 9005020621
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A/2 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MOSCOW LENGTH: Medium
The proposal, made last week by French President Francois Mitterrand and West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, calls for Lithuania to suspend laws passed to implement its March 11 independence declaration.
The idea behind the proposal is that, in return, the Soviet Union would ease its economic embargo aimed at forcing Lithuania to back down.
Edward Tuskenis, a parliamentary spokesman, said President Vytautas Landsbergis drafted a letter to Kohl and Mitterrand that "agrees with the spirit" of the April 26 French-German suggestion.
He said Landsbergis' response to the Mitterrand-Kohl proposal does not specifically suggest revoking any of Lithuania's decisions on independence.
Landsbergis told Lithuania's parliament today that the two leaders asked "for our agreement to suspend those consequences which are more unacceptable to the Soviet Union," according to Eduardas Potashinskas, a Lithuanian television editor.
The parliament, known as the Supreme Council, took no formal vote on Landsbergis' letter, Tuskenis said by telephone. He said the chamber appeared to welcome it. Potashinskas also said the chamber backed Landsbergis.
Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has declared the independence declaration invalid and rejected negotiations with the republic, saying such talks are reserved for foreign countries.
Gorbachev also has called for Lithuania to rescind laws aimed at bolstering the independence drive, such as one ending conscription of The idea behind the proposal is that, in return, the Soviet Union would ease its economic embargo aimed at forcing Lithuania to back down. Lithuanians into the Soviet army.
The Kremlin also has imposed a partial economic blockade, cutting supplies of fuel and other commodities, to the Baltic republic. Lithuania began rationing food on Tuesday.
Landsbergis' response appeared to be an attempt to show a willingness to compromise. The text was not released immediately because his office said it should first be transmitted to Kohl and Mitterrand.
Soviet officials also have welcomed the French-German proposal, contained in a letter to Landsbergis and Gorbachev.
Gorbachev's spokesman, Arkady Maslennikov, said the French-German letter "is not far from the line that the Soviet leadership has been pursuing."
In his speech to parliament today, Landsbergis made clear he was not backing away from the actual independence declaration.
"We speak about a political maneuver but we cannot maneuver further than before the act of March 11, which is our concrete wall which neither I nor other deputies intend to remove," he said, according to Potashinskas. "Those who propose removing it are proposing to return us to a cage."
Lithuanian leaders say they want to restore the independence the republic of 3.8 million people enjoyed before it was forcibly annexed into the Soviet Union in 1940.
The republic's prime minister, Kazimiera Prunskiene, is scheduled to meet Thursday with President Bush in Washington. Bush has urged the Lithuanians and Soviets to negotiate their dispute, but he has refused either to impose sanctions against the Kremlin or to recognize the republic's independence.
In another development, the independent news service Postfactum in Moscow reported Lithuania is trying to revive oil wells to help make up for the cutoff of oil supplies the Kremlin imposed April 18 as part of its blockade.
At the same time, Lithuanians are rebuilding facilities at the port of Klaipeda to allow it to receive imported oil later this month, Interfax said. It did not say who would supply the oil, which would have to be bought with foreign currency Lithuania lacks.
Today was the first work day in Lithuania under the food rationing system. Most stores were closed Tuesday, when the system went into effect, because of the May Day holiday.
Daina Kalendra, a worker at the Supreme Council's information office, said that from now until the end of June, each person is limited to the following: sugar, 4.4 pounds; macaroni, 2.2 pounds; grains, 4.4 pounds; salt, 2.2 pounds; flour, 4.4 pounds; grease or margarine, about a half-pound.
Lithuania supplies most of its own meat and dairy needs.
by CNB