Gorbachev in reform mood

Press, 11 September 1989, Page 11

Gorbachev in reform mood

NZPA-Reuter Moscow The Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, has bounced back from holiday with a stinging attack on conservatives and radicals who he says are trying to block his reforms and spreading alarm.

He denounced opponents of his perestroika (reform) programme for suggesting that a coup or civil war was in the making.

He also said fundamental decisions would be taken “on the transformation of the Soviet federation.”

Mr Gorbachev’s comments were sharply at odds with remarks by Kremlin conservatives — in particular a Politburo member, Yegor Ligachev — that nationalist unrest

threatened to pull the country apart. The Soviet President said he knew the nation’s situation was not easy but said people must not get discouraged and must press ahead with economic and political reforms.

“The present situation is a tight knot of problems,” he said, citing consumer goods shortages, ethnic conflicts and difficulties associated with straightening out “deformations” of the socialist system.

• “Attempts are being made to discredit perestroika (reform), acting from both conservative and leftist platforms and very often from openly anti-socialist positions,” he said.