VILNIUS, U.S.S.R. -- Lithuania proclaimed its independence from Moscow Sunday in a long-expected move posing the first splintering of the Soviet Union since the communist nation was founded nearly seven decades ago.
The unanimous vote by the Lithuanian parliament came after lawmakers shed the words 'Soviet Socialist' from the Baltic republic's name and chose Vytautas Landsbergis -- founder of the Sajudis nationalist movement -- as Lithuania's first non-communist president since coming under Soviet control 50 years ago.
The United States never recognized Moscow's 1940 annexation of Lithuania in a deal between Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler. Washington also rejected the Soviet incorporation of the other Baltic republics, Estonia and Latvia.
Lithuania's parliament, or Supreme Soviet, voted 127-0 with six abstentions in making the declaration of independence expected to lead to formal secession via negotiations with Moscow.
The break posed a historic challenge to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who has promised he would not use force against Lithuania but indicated Moscow will make heavy economic demands as the price of freedom.
Moscow has hinted at an economic blockade by charging world prices in hard currency for Soviet raw materials, as well as demanding repayment of billions of rubles Moscow invested in Lithuania's infrastructure in the past 50 years.
Earlier in the day, the parliament had issued an appeal to the Soviet Union, saying in part, 'The Supreme Soviet of Lithuania appeals to the peoples of the Soviet Union to support our aspiration and to understand we are guided by good intentions.'
White House spokeswoman Marlin Fitzwater said, 'The United States would urge the Soviet government to respect the will of the citizens of Lithuania ...'
'We call upon the Soviet government to address its concerns and interests through immediate, constructive negotiations with the government of Lithuania,' Fitzwater said. 'We hope that all parties will continue to avoid any initiation or encouragement of violence.'
Landsbergis later told a news conference he had written letters to President Bush and French President Francois Mitterrand asking their governments to recognize the Lithuanian state. 'We just did it so quickly and we have received no response,' he said.
The Lithuanian president said the parliament's vote Sunday declared the rebirth of the republic's independence. He said he hoped to begin negotiations soon with Moscow on formal secession from the Soviet Union.
'I believe that Mikhail Gorbachev's election as president will make the problem easier and bring the date of the talks closer for us,' he said. A Congress of Peoples Deputies was to vote Monday on the new presidential post for Gorbachev.
Lithuania's lawmakers stood and voted one by one, and a roar erupted as the number of 'yes' votes reached the majority needed in the 141-member parliament.
The proclamation of independence represented the first splintering of the Soviet Union in 68 years since the Soviet Union was created Dec. 30, 1922, five years after the Bolshevik revolution.
As a light snow fell, hundreds of Lithuanians who had massed outside the parliament building erupted in cheers, while inside the hall, Lithuania's yellow, green and red national flag was hoisted and lawmakers chanted, 'Lithuania! Lithuania! Lithuania!'
Then in a massive show of pan-Baltic solidarity after the vote aimed at ending 50 years of Soviet rule, Landsbergis declared, 'Latvia will be free,' and the deputies shouted back, 'Estonia will be free!'
In the Estonian capital of Tallinn Sunday, nearly 500 nationalists formed a shadow assembly to usurp the Estonian parliament, while in the Latvian capital of Riga, about 200 citizens rallied against communist rule.
Earlier the lawmakers in the Lithuanian Supreme Soviet elected Landsbergis, a 57-year-old musicology professor who as Sajudis founder has led Lithuania's independence drive, as the first non-communist president of a Soviet republic.
The parliament selected Landsbergis over Communist Party leader Algirdas Brazauskas.
In other unanimous voicevotes, the Lithuanian legislators restored the 1938 constitution, while a second resolution put all government agencies, factories, businesses and educational institutions under Lithuanian jurisidiction.
The parliament also ruled that only Lithuanian laws were valid in the Baltic republic and reverted to the old name of Lithuania, scuttling the words 'Soviet Socialist.'
After the name change, a 21- by 21-foot canvas with the Hammer and Sickle behind the presidium was rolled up. Workers did the same to the Soviet insignia outside the building, then began trampling on it, yelling, 'Freedom! Freedom! Sajudis! Sajudis!'
'We have witnessed a heroic act,' declared Landsbergis as the parliament chamber rocked in tumultous applause.
Telegrams of congratulations poured in to the parliament for the Baltic republic of 3.6 million people, 80 percent of whom are Lithuanian. Among those sending congratulations were the governments of the Baltic republics of Estonia and Latvia, which like Lithuania were incorporated by Moscow in 1940 but unlike Lithuania have enormous Russian populations.
Landsbergis, who founded Sajudis in 1988, received 91 votes, and Brazauskas got 38 votes. Four of the 133 participating lawmakers in the 141-seat Supreme Soviet voted against both men.
Although Brazasuskas's splitting of the Lithuanian Communist Party away from Moscow in December gained him popularity, the legislators recognized the goateed Landsbergis as the father of Lithuania's rebirth.
The Parliament also chose three senior officials from the Sajudis nationalist movement, Kazimieras Motieka, Bronis Kuzmickas and Cslav Stankiezicius, as deputies to Landsbergis.
Brazauskas rejected a goodwill gesture by Landsbergis, turning down his nomination of Brazauskas as one of the Parliament's three deputy chairmen.
'I cannot take this post because most of the deputies voted against me (for president),' the tall, white-haired Brazauskas said.
The government of Premier Vytautas Sakalauskas resigned. Kazmiera Prunskiene, a promient economist and Sajudis leader, was named temporary prime minister with 127 votes of support, three abstentions and three lawmakers absent.
Sajudis officials said they had not had time to fill all ministerial posts and a permanent government would be presented to Parliament in the coming weeks.
The Parliament, or Supreme Soviet, the first non-Communist legislature ever in the Soviet Union, peppered Landsbergis with questions.
Landsbergis asserted the independence of Lithuania was never annulled and the republic was starting existence as if Soviet control never occurred.
He called immediately for a reduction of Soviet troops in the Baltic republic saying, 'The stationing of Soviet troops has to be cut.'
Questioned about the danger of a Soviet economic blockade, he reminded the legislators that in 1920 -- 20 years before Moscow annexed Lithuania -- the Soviets failed in an attempt to suffocate the then-independent Lithuania.
'In 1920 we passed this test with flying colors, and I hope it will pass this test now,' he said.
He said Lithuania had to strive for both political and economic independence.
Questioned about his competence to be chief executive in view of his background as a music professor, Landsbergis said at one point, 'I represent the Sajudis Popular Movement, which unites Lithuanians. It brought about great changes in our country.
'Our common goal is to regain independence. We can arrive at our goal if we have free people living in our free land,' Landsbergis said.
By heading the independence drive while staying a professor, Landsbergis in effect made his musicology institute the equivalent of Poland's Gdansk shipyard, said an observer from Poland who watched the birth of Solidarity in 1980.
Landsbergis said he would not distinguish between parties and those professing to belong to no parties in selecting people to help him govern.
He also said Sajudis would remain as a political movement 'which unites people' and would not transform itself into a political party.
Earlier, parliament, in deciding to vote on independence and to talk of secession later, issued appeals to the world and to Gorbachev.
'The Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian Republic proclaims the continuation of the Lithuanian independent republic of 1918 and its return to the family of nations, and hopes for fraternal solidarity and assistance.
'Our decision is not directed against any government or any nationality within Lithuania' the appeal said. 'It is the path that will guarantee human rights and Lithuanian citizenship.
'May God and all people of good will help us.'
The United States never recognized Moscow's 1940 annexation of Lithuania in a deal between Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler. Washington also rejected the Soviet incorporation of the other Baltic republics, Estonia and Latvia.
The vote for Lithuania's independence was 127 for, with no votes against and six abstentions.
Lithuania's lawmakers stood and voted one by one in the roll call vote, and a massive roar erupted as the number of 'yes' votes reached the majority needed in the 141-seat Parliament.
The proclamation of independence represented the first splintering of the Soviet Union in 68 years since the Soviet Union was proclaimed was created Dec. 30, 1922.
Hundreds of Lithuanians who had massed outside the parliament building erupted in cheers, while inside the hall, the Lithuanian national flag was hoisted and lawmakers chanted, 'Lithuania! Lithuania!'
After the vote aimed at ending 50 years of Soviet rule, Landsbergis declared, 'Latvia will be free,' and the deputies shouted back, 'Estonia will be free!' in a massive show of pan-Baltic solidarity.
Earlier the lawmakers in the Lithuanian Supreme Soviet elected Landsbergis, a 57-year-old musicology professor who as Sajudis founder has led Lithuania's independence drive, as the first non-communist president of a Soviet republic.
The parliament, which selected Landsbergis over Communist Party leader Algirdas Brazauskas, also ruled that only Lithuanian laws were valid in the Baltic republic and reverted to the old name of Lithuania, scuttling the words 'Soviet Socialist.'
After the name change, a 21- by 21-foot canvas with the Hammer and Sickle behind the presidium was rolled up. Workers did the same to the Soviet insignia outside the building, then began trampling on it, yelling, 'Freedom! Freedom! Sajudis! Sajudis!'
'We have witnessed a heroic act,' declared Landsbergis as the parliament chamber rocked in tumultous appplause.
Telegrams of congratulations poured in to the parliament for the Baltic republic of 3.6 million people, 80 percent of whom are Lithuanian. Among those sending congratulations were the governments of the Baltic republics of Estonia and Latvia, which like Lithuania were incorporated by Moscow in 1940 but unlike Lithuania have enormous Russian populations.
Landsbergis, who founded Sajudis in 1988, received 91 votes, and Brazauskas got 38 votes. Four of the 133 participating lawmakers in the 141-seat Supreme Soviet voted against both men.
Although Brazasuskas's splitting of the Lithuanian Communist Party away from Moscow in December gained him popularity, the legislators recognized the goateed Landsbergis as the father of Lithuania's rebirth.
The Parliament also chose three senior officials from the Sajudis nationalist movement, Kazimieras Motieka, Bronis Kuzmickas and Cslav Stankiezicius, as deputies to Landsbergis.
Brazauskas rejected a goodwill gesture by Landsbergis, turning down his nomination of Brazauskas as one of the Parliament's three deputy chairmen.
'I cannot take this post because most of the deputies voted against me (for president),' the tall, white-haired Brazauskas said.
The government of Premier Vytautas Sakalauskas resigned. Kazmiera Prunskiene, a promient economist and Sajudis leader, was named temporary prime minister with 127 votes of support, three abstentions and three lawmakers absent.
Sajudis officials said they had not had time to fill all ministerial posts and a permanent government would be presented to Parliament in the coming weeks.
The Parliament, or Supreme Soviet, the first non-Communist legislature ever in the Soviet Union, peppered Landsbergis with questions.
Landsbergis asserted the independence of Lithuania was never annulled and the republic was starting existence as if Soviet control never occurred.
He called immediately for a reduction of Soviet troops in the Baltic republic saying, 'The stationing of Soviet troops has to be cut.'
Questioned about the danger of a Soviet economic blockade, he reminded the legislators that in 1920 -- 20 years before Moscow annexed Lithuania -- the Soviets failed in an attempt to suffocate the then-independent Lithuania.
'In 1920 we passed this test with flying colors, and I hope it will pass this test now,' he said.
He said Lithuania had to strive for both political and economic independence.
Questioned about his competence to be chief executive in view of his background as a music professor, Landsbergis said at one point, 'I represent the Sajudis Popular Movement, which unites Lithuanians. It brought about great changes in our country.
'Our common goal is to regain independence. We can arrive at our goal if we have free people living in our free land,' Landsbergis said.
By heading the independence drive while staying a professor, Landsbergis in effect made his musicology institute the equivalent of Poland's Gdansk shipyard, said an observer from Poland who watched the birth of Solidarity in 1980.
Landsbergis said he would not distinguish between parties and those professing to belong to no parties in selecting people to help him govern.
He also said Sajudis would remain as a political movement 'which unites people' and would not transform itself into a political party.
Earlier, parliament, in deciding to vote on independence and to talk of secession later, issued appeals to the world and to Gorbachev.
'The Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian Republic proclaims the continuation of the Lithuanian independent republic of 1918 and its return to the family of nations, and hopes for fraternal solidarity and assistance.
'Our decision is not directed against any government or any nationality within Lithuania' the appeal said. 'It is the path that will guarantee human rights and Lithuanian citizenship.
'May God and all people of good will help us.'
