President Chernenko dead, Tass announces
NZPA-Reuter Moscow Konstantin Chernenko is dead. The official Soviet news agency, Tass, announced the Soviet President’s death late last evening, capping a day in which it had been widely rumoured.
Tass gave the time of death as 7.20 p.m. Sunday (4.20 a.m., Monday, New Zealand time). The cause of death was not given. The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, said that New Zealand extended its condolences to the Soviet Government and people. New Zealand would be represented at Mr Chernenko’s funeral. A decision on who would attend would be taken once arrangements had been received from the Soviet authorities, he said. The funeral would take place tomorrow, Tass news agency announced later. Several signs pointed yesterday to the possibility that someone important in the Kremlin had died. Television and radio switched to sombre programmes. A Soviet Parliamentary delegation visiting California suddenly cancelled the rest of its trip and returned to Washington. No explanation was given. Another Soviet delegation broke off a visit to West Germany and flew home to Moscow. Indian and Japanese news agencies, quoting Kremlin and East European sources,
reported that Mr Chernenko had died. The Soviet journalist, Victor Louis, who has often been reported to be ( close to the Kremlin leadership, reported in a dispatch to an Israeli newspaper that Mr Chernenko was dead and that the funeral would be held in Red Square tomorrow.
American diplomats inGeneva said that arms negotiations, due to resume today, would almost certainly be postponed if there was a change in the Kremlin leadership, but possibly only for a few days.
There would have to be a delay, to show respect, at least until after funeral ceremonies and the appointment of a successor, the diplomats said.
The French External Relations Minister, Mr Ronald Dumas, who arrived in Moscow yesterday began talks as scheduled today with the Soviet Foreign Minister, Mr Andrei Gromyko.
Sources in Mr Dumas’s entourage said that Mr Gromyko took the French Minister aside for a few minutes before they began their discussions. Further report, Page 8
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Press, 12 March 1985, Page 1
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342President Chernenko dead, Tass announces Press, 12 March 1985, Page 1
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