ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 24, 1997 TAG: 9702240123
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BEIJING
SOURCE: Associated Press
THE NATIONAL LEADER'S ASHES will be scattered at sea after a Tuesday memorial 10,000 people are expected to attend.
Police blockaded a cemetery for revolutionary heroes Sunday, keeping back hundreds of curious Chinese while soldiers made final preparations for the nation's farewell to Deng Xiaoping.
Deng was to be cremated today, hours before U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arrives in Beijing on the last stop of a nine-country around-the-world trek, sources at state-run TV said.
Eulogies praising Deng's exploits and his economic reforms, which raised tens of millions of Chinese from poverty, gushed Sunday from government television and other media.
Soldiers, meanwhile, solemnly rehearsed, carrying an empty, see-through bier at the cemetery for Communist veterans where Deng is to be cremated in Babaoshan, a neighborhood in western Beijing.
Police blocked a side road to the cemetery and kept back crowds of about 200 people from its front gate, where a flag flew at half-staff. At one point, about eight black limousines sped out of the cemetery.
Deng died Wednesday at 92. His family asked that his ashes be scattered at sea after a Tuesday memorial attended by 10,000 people. A casket containing Deng's ashes will be covered by the red Communist flag during the memorial, which marks the last day of a six-day mourning period.
Although no foreigners have been invited to the memorial, Deng's chosen successor, Communist Party Secretary and President Jiang Zemin, is likely to welcome Albright's visit as an opportunity to highlight international recognition for his leadership.
Albright has compressed all her meetings into one day so she can leave before the memorial. No foreigners were invited because Deng, who retired in 1990, was officially a private citizen with no higher title than ``comrade.''
Hong Kong's Sunday Morning Post said the political infighting that some expected to sharpen with Deng's death had begun. The newspaper said Communist hard-liners were circulating a 20,000-word criticism of Deng's policies, in defiance of Jiang's orders.
The report clashed with the picture of unity given by the official media, which has Communist Party officials and military leaders rallying around Jiang as the ``core'' of the post-Deng leadership.
Premier Li Peng and the head of the legislature, Qiao Shi - both of whom are possible rivals to Jiang - have echoed pledges Jiang made Friday to carry on Deng's reforms.
Jiang has been quick to claim Deng's mantle. He heads a funeral committee for Deng and will give the memorial speech Tuesday.
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Residents of Matian Township in Shanxi Provinceby CNBmourn Deng Xiaoping's death. color.