Russians see Gorbachev TV interview

Press, 3 December 1987, Page 10

Russians see Gorbachev TV interview

NZPA-Reuter Moscow Soviet State television broadcast an NBC interview with the Russian leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, yesterday after making slight cuts and changes, in one place where he referred to his wife, Raisa. Soviet television carried in full Mr Gorbachev’s remarks about arms, including his admission that Moscow was conducting basic research in areas covered by the United States Strategic Defence Initiative, but it mistranslated a question about his wife and cut a follow-up question and answer. The interview, Mr Gorbachev’s first for American television, was broadcast in the United States on Monday, a week before his Washington summit with President Reagan. According to an NBC transcript, the NBC anchorman, Tom Brokaw, of the network’s "Nightly News” programme, asked Mr Gorbachev if he discussed with his wife “national policies, political difficulties and so on in this country.”

Soviet television translated this phrase as "social issues.”

Mr Gorbachev’s reply “We discuss everything” was carried, but Brokaw’s

follow-up, “Including Soviet affairs at the highest level?” was cut, as was Mr Gorbachev’s reply:

“I think I have answered your question in total. We discuss everything.” Analysts said the cut showed Moscow’s sensitivity on Mrs Gorbachev’s role, which has been far more active than previous Kremlin first ladies’ despite the fact that Soviet society is still conservative in its view of women.

Rumours have swept Moscow that the dismissed city party chief, Boris Yeltsin, criticised Mrs Gorbachev for getting involved in politics, but a Foreign Ministry spokesman, Gennady Gerasimov, has denied that Mr Yeltsin mentioned her name at the party meeting where he made a critical speech about reforms.

The other cut in the interview came where Mr Gorbachev was describing the American books he had read.

According to the NBC transcript, he said: “Mostly, I’ve read American classics but I know some of the modern writers too. They are very important writers.”

The Soviet broadcast cut the last sentence.