Half of Politburo over 70

Press, 14 March 1985, Page 6

Half of Politburo over 70

NZPA-AP New York Although Mikhail Gorbachev is the youngest Soviet leader in more than 60 years, one half of the members of the Kremlin’s ruling Politburo are still in their 70s. Mr Gorbachev, aged 54, was swiftly named as General Secretary of the Communist Party, the Soviet Union’s most powerful post, to succeed Konstantin Chernenko, who died on Sunday. His death reduced the Politburo membership to 10, the lowest number in several years. Five of the 10 men are in their 70s, including the Prime Minister, Mr Nikolai Tikhonov, who is 79, and the Foreign Minister, Mr Andrei Gromyko, aged 75. Mr Gorbachev is the youngest man to head the Communist Party since Stalin became general secretary in 1922 and took firm control of the party after Lenin died in 1924. When Mr Gorbachev consolidates his position he should be able to enlarge the body that in past years has usually numbered 14 or 15 members. Since Leonid Brezhnev, died in 1982 only

two men have been promoted to full membership — Vitaly Vorotnikov, aged 58, and Mikhail Solomentsev, aged 72. Mr Vorotnikov, the youngest member after Mr Gorbachev, is considered by many Western observers to be a man to watch. He was promoted in 1983 and is Premier of the Russian Federation. Mr Vorotnikov was seen on Soviet' television on Monday night striding from the ranks of Politburo members to take a position next to Mr Gorbachev when the leadership was shown paying its final

respects to Mr Chernenko. Kremlin observers will watch for clues to how power will be divided under Mr Gorbachev, whether he is able to bring in new and younger men or whether that will have to await the passing of more members of the old guard. The Politburo could be enlarged at the next regular plenum of the central committee, which could occur as soon as next month. None of the members in their 70s appear to have serious health problems. In addition to Messrs Tikhonov, Gromyko, and Solomentsev, they are Viktor Grishin, the Moscow party leader who is 70, and Dinmukhamed Kunayev, aged 73, party chief for the central Asian republic of Kazakhstan. The three Politburo members in their 60s are Geidar Aliev, aged 61, the only nonRussian on the ruling body, Grigory Romanov, aged 62, who with Mr Gorbachev is the only Politburo member to also belong to the powerful central committee secretariat; and, Vladimir Shcherbitsky, aged 66, the Ukranian party leader who was in the United States when Mr Chernenko died. Mr Aliev is also a First

Deputy Prime Minister of the Soviet Union and earned high marks for his efficiency, managerial skills and toughness when he was party leader in his native republic of Azerbaijan. Mr Romanov was considered to be a strong contender to succeed Mr Chernenko and has been praised for his successes in rebuilding the ageing industrial base of Leningrad, a main industrial city. The Politburo also has six alternate, or non-voting members, who are usually considered to be candidates for promotion.