Lithuania Independence Declared Invalid in Moscow

The Soviet Parliament declared Thursday that Lithuania’s declaration of independence is invalid and said Soviet law is still in force in the Baltic republic.

The resolution, proposed by the parliamentary leadership and passed by the Congress of People’s Deputies by a vote of 1,463 to 94, also turned over to Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev responsibility for “ensuring the lawful rights of every person” in Lithuania.

Gorbachev told a press conference after the session ended Thursday night that he expected to hold “a dialogue, a respectful dialogue, with the people of Lithuania” and their government.

He also emphasized he would not consider the talks actual diplomatic “negotiations” between separate countries.

The republic’s legislature declared its independence from the Soviet Union on Sunday. On Tuesday, Gorbachev denounced the Lithuanian declaration of independence as illegal and invalid, but the Kremlin has so far made no move to enforce Soviet power in the republic.

Gorbachev has said that a government commission, headed by Prime Minister Nikolai I. Ryzhkov, would study the issue and announce public policy. The commission is expected to meet with both Lithuanians and Estonians, who are also contemplating a breakaway move.

Baltic officials hope to use the commission as a negotiating tool to discuss terms of Soviet troop withdrawal from the republic and other aspects of independence.