East and West

Press, 26 January 1988, Page 12

East and West

Sir, —I agree with Mr Kissinger when he warns “do not be mesmerised by Mr Gorbachev’s affable and cheerful manner.” Mr Gorbachev has fought his way to the top of one of the most ruthless systems and governments in the world. To be a Soviet leader one would have to be a dedicated and unswerving communist. We know communists seek world control. Lenin, in fact, showed the way and I quote from "Essays on Communism”: "It is necessary to use every means lawful or unlawful to get control over unions, subvert democracies and pave the way

for world revolution and world socialism.” I am not naive enough to believe that Gorbachev is any different from his predecessors. It was reported a few days ago by Brigadier Gullow Gjeseth, of Norway’s Defence High Command, that the Soviet Union was re-arming older-type submarines with cruise missiles to maintain its sea-launched fire power without violating the recently signed East-West strategic arms treaty and the 1979 (S.A.L.T.) agreement. These submarines are being lengthened by 10m to accommodate S.S.-N-21 missiles, the Soviet equivalent of the U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile. Be warned and do not be misled by Gorbachev’s bonhomie. — Yours, etc.,

ALEX HOGGAN. January 22, 1988.

Sir, —In challenging Susan Taylor to define the difference between the Soviet system and our prisons, C. E. L. Field (January 22) makes three comments. If, as he claims, the U.S.S.R. is “nothing else but a huge prison,” how is it that its harshest exile/ critic, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, still admits he longs to return? Mr Field next claims that “the age of imperialism using naked force is over.” Tell that to those current aggressors — Israel in Lebanon, South Africa in Namibia, or Indonesia in West Irian and East Timor. Mr Field’s third claim, that “the Soviets retained all Tsarist conquests, but carry on looking for new ones,” is wrong on both counts. Finland and Poland were both part of Tsarist Russia, but since 1918 Finland has been independent and Poland not a part of Russia. The Soviet Union wants to withdraw from Afghanistan, provided America and Pakistan cease their interference. The British failed three times to conquer Afghanistan. — Yours, etc.,

M. T. MOORE. January 22, 1988.