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A. I wouldn't worry about them. The intelligence service has been split ((into foreign and domestic branches)) so that it operates as a normal agency in any civilized state. The border guards have been taken out of the structure. So have communication facilities. KGB chief Vadim Bakatin heads the counterintelligence service, but its functions are entirely different now. Perhaps there are individuals there who could cause trouble, but not the organization as such.
Q. President Bush does not want to have to choose between Gorbachev and Yeltsin. How can he avoid this?
A. I think he should make his position very clear. Life has brought to the forefront a new generation of politicians. There is a danger that at a crucial time of change, when our -- and your -- destinies are being decided, some politicians are just entering the world of big-time politics. I have encouraged them to travel abroad. I wanted our partners to size up these new politicians. Maybe they did not see this as a tactical move by Gorbachev. They thought that since Gorbachev was sending them around, it meant he, himself, was finished and they should now deal with them -- and they made a wrong choice.
These new politicians will have to shoulder responsibilities, but they need seasoning. They may find it difficult to work with Gorbachev, who has already been through a great deal and has been tested and steeled by experience. Many of these new politicians are still populists. They have not shown themselves to be creative people. They need to prove themselves. They have to learn to adapt to things, rather than throw tantrums.
What are personal ambitions worth, if they interfere and slow down your chosen course? They're now accusing Gorbachev of slowing down, of applying the brakes to the creation of this new association of states. But I'm going to stay the course. Despite my ability to be flexible, I'm not going to give up my principles. There's a line I will not cross. I'm not going to swing back and forth like a pendulum.
Q. We came in here today thinking this might be the last interview with Gorbachev as President, but from the way you talk, it doesn't sound like that.
A. As far as my work is concerned, the main purpose of my life has already been fulfilled. I feel at peace with myself. I've lived through such experiences that I feel absolutely free. At the same time, I feel that the capital I've accumulated should be fully used for the freedom of my country and international relations. And I feel strong enough to go on.