Gorbachev Confirms He’ll Give Nobel Lecture; Protests on Baltics Seen

Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev has confirmed that he will deliver the traditional Nobel Peace Prize lecture in Oslo, a member of the distinguished awards panel said today.

Geir Lundestad, committee secretary, said the Soviet leader sent a letter last week accepting the invitation to deliver the speech, which is expected to occur in May.

Gorbachev did not attend the Dec. 10 peace prize ceremony because of economic, social and political problems convulsing the Soviet Union. The committee invited him to deliver his lecture later.

Since then, some committee members have expressed regret that Gorbachev has allowed the Soviet military to crack down on the independence-minded Baltic republics, resulting in scores of casualties.

“The entire issue will be discussed at the committee’s Feb. 18 meeting,” Lundestad said. He would not say whether it might retract the invitation.

Committee member Kaare Kristiansen said: “If he comes to Oslo, he would quite certainly be met by strong demonstrations. It would be very embarrassing for him, the Nobel Committee and for Norway.”

Kristiansen, a former member of Parliament and the Cabinet, was appointed to the five-member committee after the 1990 Nobel Prize was awarded.

“I supported the choice at the time,” said Kristiansen. “A lot has happened since then.”