Gorbachev Offers to Serve Again

Former Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev told Italian state radio on Sunday that he is ready to serve Russia if the people demand it.

“If things were to get worse, if the desire of the people is for Gorbachev to leave everything to deal again with the problems of Russia, then I am ready to do my duty,” the Rome-based ANSA news agency quoted Gorbachev as telling Italian radio.

“I recently realized that people don’t want me to distance myself from the internal problems of the country, and I will not do so,” he added.

Gorbachev said early elections are “the only way out of the current situation.”

Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin announced Saturday that he is imposing temporary rule by decree.

“People expect the federal government to come up with clear policies, but Yeltsin does not talk of economic, financial and foreign policy problems,” Gorbachev said. “He does not mention the standard of living of people which has returned to that of the 1970s. We must start from there, as people are paying too high a price.”

Gorbachev, as the last Communist president of the Soviet Union, initiated far-reaching reforms that led to the breakup of the Soviet empire.

Earlier, in remarks published by the Italian daily La Stampa, Gorbachev poured scorn on Yeltsin’s move to take special powers.

“They are mad; it’s not possible. I can’t believe it,” he said. “Presidential government? It’s impossible.”