The World - News from May 15, 1989

Lawmakers from the Baltic republics pledged to press their demand for a greater say over their own affairs at this month’s inaugural session of the new Soviet Parliament. At a meeting organized by progressive mass movements from all three republics--Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania--deputies agreed on radical resolutions to put to the Congress of People’s Deputies when it meets in Moscow beginning May 25. The meeting was held in Tallinn, the Estonian capital. Marju Lauristin, a leading Estonian deputy, said 100 or so progressive Baltic deputies hope to win support for some issues from several hundred members of the 2,250-seat congress. The informal “Baltic bloc” is among several loose factions being formed.