Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio: Dan Rather) Report introduced.

(Moscow: Anthony Mason) Agreement by Soviet Asian republics of Kirghizia, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to join the new commonwealth featured; map shown. [Soviet political analyst Sergei PLEKHANOV - says this reassembling was inevitable.] [Soviet defense minister Yevgeny SHAPOSHNIKOV - (thru translator) says a military coup is impossible.] Russian President Boris Yeltsin's government noted preparing for social unrest. [Yeltsin consultant Jeffrey SAChigh school - says success is likely.] [In Moscow food lines, WOMAN - (thru translator) comments.] President Mikhail Gorbachev said expected to resign after his meeting with Secretary of State James Baker.

(Studio: Dan Rather) Representatives Les Aspin and David Nagle reported suggesting to President Bush that United States troops in Europe be used to distribute food supplies to the Soviet people.

(White House: Susan Spencer) Reaction of Bush to the breakup of the USSR featured. [BUSH - explains who United States is supporting; expresses concern about who controls nuclear weapons.] US-led international conference said hoping to coordinate relief efforts. [Political scientist Graham ALLISON - says the breakup is a threat to United States national security.] [BAKER - says he is not alarmed.] Issue of helping the republics disarm nuclear weapons noted. [Representative Lee HAMILTON, Republican presidential candidate Patrick BUCHANAN - say United States cannot afford aid alone.]