SOVIETS RECOGNIZE BALTIC INDEPENDENCE, ENDING 51-YEAR OCCUPATION OF 3 NATIONS

The Soviet Union's new ruling council recognized the independence of the three Baltic states, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, today at its first meeting. The move formally freed the three small republics, which were incorporated forcibly into the Soviet Union in 1940 but renewed their drive for independence in the era of glasnost. Their campaign was bitterly resisted by Moscow until last month, when central controls unraveled in the wake of the failed coup and a procession of foreign governments granted the Baltics diplomatic recognition. In matching proclamations for the three republics, the council also called for negotiations on disentangling the complex economic, political and military ties between the new states and the rest of the Soviet Union.

The declarations were the first action by the State Council, a committee of republic leaders and President Mikhail S. Gorbachev that was granted sweeping emergency powers by the national Congress on Thursday to control the rapid disintegration of the Soviet Union. The proclamations were read later in the day by Foreign Minister Boris D. Pankin. Other changes continued to reverberate in the wake of the failed coup, with the city of Leningrad winning a battle to change its name back to the original St. Petersburg. The move, approved by residents in a referendum in June, was formally affirmed today in a decree of the Russian federated republic's Parliament, the press agency Tass reported.

Mr. Pankin reported, for example, that the chairman of the Georgian Parliament had attended part of the session, although Georgia had not necessarily been expected to take part. The Soviet news reports indicated that the main order of business, aside from independence for the Baltic states, was to initiate action on the nation's two most urgent concerns: the economy and the military. The decision on the Baltic republics effectively acknowledges a fait accompli, since more than 60 nations, including the United States, had already recognized the three states since the coup and Western ambassadors were already taking up residence.

Official Soviet recognition of the Baltic states had been expected at the Congress of People's Deputies, but republic leaders evidently decided not to raise the issue in the assembly for fear of increasing the momentum for secessionist moves in other regions.

The proclamations declared that Moscow would support the entry of the three republics into the United Nations. All three declared their hope of becoming integrated into Europe and the "world community."

Source: New York Times

GORBACHEV CALLS LITHUANIA'S MOVE AN 'ALARMING' STEP

President Mikhail S. Gorbachev today described Lithuania's declaration of independence as ''alarming,'' but he gave no indication of what the Kremlin's next move would be. He said the decision on Sunday by the Lithuanian parliament should be examined by the Soviet national legislature, which convened today in a special session. But neither Mr. Gorbachev nor other other Soviet officials said whether Moscow would recognize the independence of Lithuania, which was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940 after 22 years as a sovereign nation. ''The information coming from there is alarming,'' Mr. Gorbachev said. ''The decisions that are being taken affect the fundamental interests and destiny of the republic itself, of the people and of our entire state.''

Mr. Gorbachev has struggled over the last few months to persuade Lithuanian leaders to abandon their campaign for independence. The Soviet President's remarks, at the opening of the special session of the Congress of the People's Deputies, offered no indication of whether he would negotiate with Lithuanian leaders. Lithuania's resolution was the first issue raised by Mr. Gorbachev before the congress, which was hastily convened so that it could adopt a new law expanding the executive powers of the presidency. He said the congress should begin analyzing the implications of Lithuania's proclamation, which was approved by the Baltic republic's parliament in a 124-to-0 vote.

Source: New York Times