Gorbachev’s trip delights Russians

Press, 7 October 1985, Page 6

Gorbachev’s trip delights Russians

NZPA-Reuter Moscow The skilful dealing of the Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, with the world’s press and his confident announcement in Paris of new arms proposals has delighted Russians used to the static style of past leaders. Mr Gorbachev, who returned to Moscow at the week-end after a four-day official visit, his first to the West since becoming Kremlin chief in March, has established himself as a major political personality, able to argue with the most seasoned statesmen and fend off the most delicate questions.

Soviet television viewers caught a glimpse of their leader’s style first last week during an interview with the French TF-1 network.

Many expressed amazement at the frankness of the journalists’ questions. Throughout his trip Mr Gorbachev mixed humour and conciliatory statements with firmness, ready to

tackle sensitive issues such as human rights, but yielding nothing. “He’s playing the West at its own game,” one Russian said.

During his television interview, Mr Gorbachev called absurd suggestions from a journalist that there were four million political erisoners in the Soviet Won.

The State-run news media, while omitting potentially embarrassing incidents such as the criticism by the Paris Mayor, Jacques Chirac, of the Soviet Union’s human rights record, broke with precedent in publishing the full text of that interview and a later live news conference in extended news programmes. Yesterday’s television news, focused mainly on Mr Gorbachev’s meetings with the French Communist Party leader, Georges Marchais.

Many Russians said Mr Gorbachev’s assertive per-

formances in front of the Western press, a stark contrast with' the staid and hesitant approach of his recent predecessors, had improved his own reputation and the Soviet Union’s standing abroad. Mr Gorbachev, aged 54, used the trip to make his offer of a 50 per cent cut in the nuclear arsenals of both super-Powers. It received a cautious response in Washington.

Diplomats said it was the style, rather than the substance of the trip, that had most impressed. Mr Gorbachev’s wife, Raisa, who first attracted the world’s attention during a visit to Britain last December, added a new dimension to the Kremlin leader’s trip. But Russians only saw brief glimpses of her on television, by her husband’s side. They aid not see film of her visiting exclusive fashion designers and expensive shops.