I think Gorbachev, the Army, and the KGB made a big mistake. If this policy continues it will be only a matter of time before they realize that they will be standing alone. They have lost the support of their own people. I was in Tallinn, Estonia on January 13 when Yeltsin came to the Baltics and proclaimed that the Russian nation supported us. He said that they also want to be free, and that now there is no way that the democratic achievements they've won can be reversed.

How did the Lithuanian people react to this brutal crackdown, and to the way America responded to these developments?

The Baltic nations are always grateful to America for its support. It is very important to us. The Soviet empire has no more support, so it must use force. There is no future for this type of totalitarian regime. Very few people support these methods. This is not only an issue in the Baltic states; the people of other republics in the Soviet Union know they do not have to accept dictatorship. We follow the rules of international law in order to achieve freedom and independence. If we do business with the Soviet Union it must be conducted bilaterally, and in this way we can find mutual benefits.

Do actions like these suggest that the Communist system in the Soviet Union cannot reform itself?

No. The Communist system is ideological, and the basic premise is to rule by force, because the Communists do not remain in power through democratic means. They remain in power only by the use of force - by guns. The Soviet people are angry and hungry. They hate this system - a system which regularly abuses its own citizens. It is only a matter of time until it crumbles.

Are you encouraged by Lithuania's vote in favor of independence on March 3?

Yes. There was a high voter turnout, and Lithuanians voted overwhelmingly - 83 percent - in favor of independence. Observers from Sweden and correspondents from all over the world witnessed this vote. I know very well the people in our government, and they respect the support America has given it. It is very important that the United States has never recognized the legitimacy of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states.

Do you foresee new conflicts between Gorbachev and the Baltic states? Will there be more bloodshed?

It is possible, but I do not believe it will solve anything. If Gorbachev starts this repression on a larger scale it will mean the end of the Soviet Union. This policy does not even have the full support of the Soviet Army. The only way for peace is to let the Baltic states be free and independent. I was in the Soviet Union and many people accept this solution. The time for repression and violence is over.

Do you find the results of the March 17 all-Union referendum valid in the Baltics?

No, because there has been widespread voting irregularities in all three republics. Ballot stuffing has occurred with several people given the chance to vote many times. There has been misreporting of election results by TASS. For example, TASS claimed that 250,000 people - or 83.6 percent of eligible voters - voted in Estonia. However, this constitutes only 23 percent of the eligible voter population. We must also take into account the increased presence of Soviet troops, redeployed from Eastern Europe, who voted openly in favor of the referendum. I spoke to Yeltsin on January 13, and from what he says, it is clear the Communists do not know what they want. Yeltsin said very clearly that if you go against the Baltics, you're going against the Russians, because in the future we must have peace and work together as independent nations.

The danger, then, is that what happens in the Baltics can happen in other republics?

If this policy of oppression is used, then the Russians will revolt, and no one will be able to stop them. Gorbachev understands this very well. It was a big mistake for him to remove all of his liberal supporters from the government. I believe that Gorbachev personally opposes this course of action, but that he has united with conservative forces that leave him very few options. If he continues on this course his time will be limited as well.

Heinrich Tann is a correspondent for Radio Estonia and the editor of a book on politics in the Baltic stales.