THE GULF WAR: The Battle Front : Voices: Eduard A. Shevardnadze

The former Soviet foreign minister said world concern over the mounting civilian casualties in Iraq is justified but should not be allowed to eclipse the suffering of the Kuwaitis. “The subject of casualties of the tiny Kuwaiti people has been moved to the background,” he said. Shevardnadze, who cast the SOVIET VOTE AT THE UNITED NATIONS to authorize the USE OF FORCE against Iraq, returned to the public eye in Moscow two months after his resignation to attend the founding conference of a non-governmental think tank on international affairs that he will head.