The Soviet Union is dangerously close to reverting to a dictatorship, and President Mikhail Gorbachev may soon revoke the reforms he introduced, maverick Soviet politician Boris Yeltsin said Tuesday.
”By sending troops into Azerbaijan, Gorbachev has put himself in a very difficult position. And if the Soviet Union reverts to a dictatorship, the blame must be put on him,” said Yeltsin, winding up a 10-day visit to Japan. Yeltsin accused elements in the Soviet government, including Gorbachev, of planning to use the unrest in Azerbaijan as an excuse for eventually declaring a nationwide state of emergency.
”I think using troops against people with great loss of life will have grave consequences for the Soviet Union,” he said. ”The conservative group in the leadership is very eager to . . . introduce dictatorship and rule by iron fist.”
Throughout his tour and in meetings with Japanese leaders, Yeltsin, who was ousted as Moscow city Communist Party chief but later easily won election to the Soviet parliament, has assailed the Soviet hierarchy.
Asked if he would like the job if Gorbachev is ousted from the presidency, Yeltsin said, ”When I am asked such questions, I always say,
`Don`t provoke me.` ”