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

DATE: THURSDAY, July 5, 1990                   TAG: 9007050099
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MOSCOW                                LENGTH: Medium

LITHUANIA SANCTIONS LIFTED

The Kremlin has lifted its 10-week ban on rail deliveries of key foodstuffs to Lithuania, the last remaining economic sanction imposed to stop the republic's independence drive, Lithuanian officials said Wednesday.

The shipments should resume within two or three days, depending on the availability of rail cars, said Gintaras Yatkonis of the Lithuanian Council of Ministers' information center.

On Tuesday, natural gas flowed back into the Baltic republic, according to Arune Kontaugaite of the parliament's information bureau.

Oil shipments resumed Saturday, one day after the Lithuanian parliament agreed to freeze its March 11 declaration of independence. Its lawmakers agreed to the 100-day freeze so that negotiations on independence with Moscow can begin.

Yatkonis said a telegram from the Soviet Transport Ministry addressed to Prime Minister Kazimiera Prunskiene arrived late Tuesday, advising that the ban on railroad deliveries had been lifted.

The ban was imposed to prevent Lithuanians from making private arrangements to receive sugar, coffee, fish, tea and citrus fruit from other parts of the Soviet Union and abroad.

Yatkonis said the Council of Ministers has ordered that cargo be unloaded as quickly as possible so that the trains can return for new loads.

Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev cut off all shipments of oil, most supplies of natural gas and other key items to Lithuania on April 18 after the republic refused to rescind its pro-independence laws. Lithuania's 3.8 million residents depend on the Soviet Union for their energy supplies.

About 50,000 of Lithuania's estimated 1.1 million workers lost their jobs because of the shortages.

Lithuania now is receiving 15 million cubic meters of gas a day, somewhat less than the normal level of 18.5 million cubic meters. Lithuania's sole oil refinery was also working at less than full capacity.

The government newspaper Izvestia said 7.6 million gallons of diesel fuel, 1.7 million gallons of gasoline and 44 million gallons of lubricating oil were being sent by rail and pipeline to Lithuania from the Russian and Byelorussian republics.

The Lithuanian crisis came up at the Communist Party Congress in Moscow when Lithuanian party leaders still loyal to the Kremlin addressed the delegates to thunderous applause Wednesday.

One Lithuanian party leader, Vladislav Shved, cautioned that what happened in Lithuania - including the party split - could easily happen elsewhere.

"Who's next?" he asked, wondering aloud if this would be the last national Communist Party congress.

by CNB