Shevardnadze Sees Nuclear Peril in Soviets’ Breakup

The West should feel “terrorized” by the nuclear threat posed by the breakup of the Soviet Union, Eduard A. Shevardnadze, the former Soviet foreign minister, was quoted as saying in an interview published Monday.

“In a situation of general instability, anything can happen,” Shevardnadze told the Milan newspaper Corriere della Sera when asked if he has faith in the security of the arsenal.

Asked if the West should be worried, Shevardnadze was quoted as replying: “Go ahead and say that I would be terrorized.”

Leaders of the commonwealth met Monday in Minsk, Belarus, and agreed to keep former Soviet Defense Minister Yevgeny I. Shaposhnikov as military commander--who controls nuclear forces--for another two months, a source said.

“I don’t rule out that nuclear warheads and even complete tactical arms can fall into the hands of some paramilitary formation. It’s one of the possible scenarios,” Shevardnadze was quoted as saying.