Lithuanian Leader Says Moscow Will Cut Supplies Jan. 1

Lithuania’s president said Tuesday that Moscow will try to bring his rebellious republic to its knees this winter by cutting off all supplies of food and raw materials.

President Vytautas Landsbergis told a news conference here that Soviet officials have informed his government that food, fodder, energy and material shipments to Lithuania will end Jan. 1, ostensibly because of shortages in the Soviet Union.

“All forces and all measures are going to be used to destabilize the situation in Lithuania and force it to remain part of the Soviet Union. They hope General Winter will be on their side,” Landsbergis said.

He said that citizens in his Baltic state have begun storing reserves for expected shortages and “I am convinced this winter is going to be a decisive one in our struggle.”

Landsbergis met Monday with President Bush and saw Vice President Dan Quayle on Tuesday to appeal for U.S. support in Lithuania’s drive to cast off Soviet rule and become an independent state.

Bush restated U.S. policy urging self-determination for the Baltic states and a peaceful settlement to their differences with Moscow. Landsbergis said he is confident that Bush would not sacrifice Lithuania to keep Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev in power.

Landsbergis plans to meet Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai I. Ryzhkov in Moscow on Thursday. He said he will discuss the threatened economic blockade but that his main goal will be to lay the groundwork for stalled talks on independence.