Lithuanian Independence

In part your editorial “Terrific--But Go Slow, Please,” March 13) on Lithuania’s independence was terrific, in part it was not so terrific. The important issue to the U.S. and the world is not the speed but the peaceful parliamentary approach used to re-establish Lithuania’s independence. There is no question that the new parliament will safeguard the rights of the minorities since this policy has always been stressed by Sajudis, Lithuania’s reform movement, in control of the new government.

We hoped that your editorial would urge the U.S. to firmly support Lithuania’s independence without antagonizing the Soviet Union, to invite the new president to Washington and to promise humanitarian aid in case of an economic blockade. We expected you to urge Gorbachev to withdraw the Soviet army and the KGB from Lithuania and to negotiate economic issues.

We wanted you to urge other countries and the United Nations to support Lithuania in its extremely difficult struggle to regain independence.

VINCENT ZIGMAS VISKANTA

Rolling Hills Estates