Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 29, 1990 TAG: 9003290748
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A/1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: VILNIUS, U.S.S.R. LENGTH: Medium
The conciliatory moves appeared aimed at defusing tensions that developed since Lithuania's Parliament declared independence March 11.
The Soviet Defense Ministry announced the amnesty would cover Lithuanian deserters who turned themselves in, the official Soviet news agency Tass reported.
However, it said, soldiers who refuse to turn themselves in will be "searched out, detained, and be subject to criminal punishment in accordance with current law." The brief report did not give a deadline for the amnesty.
Hundreds of Lithuanian soldiers have deserted in recent weeks, some complaining of harassment and others refusing to serve in a "foreign" army after the republic declared independence.
On Tuesday, the Soviet military raided two hospitals to seize 23 deserters. Tass reported earlier today that at least 50 deserters have returned on their own to their units and that more were expected.
Despite the signs of lessening tension, Tass also reported today that Lithuanians continued to sign up for a volunteer "territorial defense" force, which Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has demanded be stopped. Lithuanian leaders have assured him that the border post plans were suspended.
Tass said the enrollment was continuing in the port of Klaipeda and Lithuania's second-biggest city, Kaunas. More than 5,000 people have expressed interest in serving in the brigades, Tass said.
On Wednesday, Lithuanian President Vytautas Landsbergis said establishing Lithuanian border posts "would be stepping up confrontation."
Landsbergis also said he advised Lithuanians not to resist if Soviet authorities came to seize their hunting guns. A deadline set by the Kremlin for Lithuanians to turn in their weapons passed Wednesday without incident in the republic.
In Moscow, the commander of Soviet paratroopers alleged Wednesday there had been an increase in attacks on soldiers since the independence declaration.
The Soviet news agency Tass said Col. Gen. Vladislav Achalov reported "a noticeable increase in incidents of provocation against soldiers and armed attacks by groups of young hooligans against both individual soldiers and military sites."
He listed three recent attacks in Kaunas, Lithuania's second-biggest city. Two of the cases involved "hooligans" throwing stones at military guards, he said.
The Ukrainian republic's popular movement Rukh threw its support behind Lithuania's new government and urged rallies to support its independence. But Tass said the Ukrainian government asked local authorities to ban the rallies.
Independence movements in several of the Soviet Union's 15 republics, including Lithuania's Baltic neighbors Estonia and Latvia, are posing a stiff challenge to Gorbachev. Ironically, Gorbachev's political reform since he came to power in 1985 had in part paved the way for such dissent.
In Washington, the State Department on Wednesday night underscored the United States' longstanding refusal to recognize the Soviet takeover of Lithuania in 1940. The Soviets crushed the then-independent Baltic republics after signing a pact with the Nazis.
In an explanation of the status of Lithuanian representatives in the United States, the State Department described legation chief Stasys Lozoraitis as the fully accredited representative of the last free government of Lithuania and as head of the Lithuanian diplomatic service.
The Soviet Defense Ministry reiterated that the government considers Lithuania's declaration of independence invalid.
"No one should have any doubt that law and order will be restored on Lithuanian territory," said the statement, which was published in national newspapers.
In Copenhagen, a Lithuanian delegation met today with Denmark's Foreign Minister, Uffe Ellemann-Jensenm, who offered to host any future talks between the republic and Moscow.
by CNB