European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Takeover by hard liners May jeopardize reforms soviet president Mikhail s. Gorbachev shown at an economic meeting in London last month was Over thrown monday. See stories on Page 3. Moscow apr communist hard liners backed by tanks and troops seized Power monday from president Mikhail a Gorbachev in a coup that threatened the reforms he used to transform the soviet Union and end the cold War. Gorbachev was detained at his vacation Home in the Crimea said a spokesman for Boris Yeltsin president of the russian Republic. Gorbachev was to have returned to Moscow on monday for today a scheduled signing of a treaty opposed by hard liners that would have Given the restive republics More Power at the expense of the communist dominated Centra government. Vice president Gennady i. Kanayev said he was taking Over As president under a state of emergency and was supported by an eight member committee that includes the Kab and top military and police officials. Hundreds of armoured vehicles poured into Moscow and Long columns of tanks churned up the pavement. Dozens of armoured vehicles surrounded the russian federation building. Thousands of demonstrators filled the rain soaked streets of Central Moscow climbed on top of tanks and personnel carriers and confronted soldiers in shouting matches. The populist Yeltsin quickly became the focus of resistance climbing atop one of the military vehicles and urging the russian people to fight Back with an immediate general strike. Yeltsin said the russian Republic would temporarily take Over the functions of the corresponding National agencies a including the military a within the sprawling Republic the country a largest. It was unclear if the confrontations would Lead to Large scale resistance to the coup. No injuries or deaths were immediately reported in the protests. Quot in a not going to order my troops to shoot Boris Yeltsin a one military commander was quoted assaying. Reports said some internal airports around the country were being closed although airlines said operations were apparently Normal at Moscow a International Airport. The new ruling committee announced it assumed emergency Powers at 6 . Monday Kanayev who took Over As president said the changes were temporary and did not mean a renunciation of reforms or affect the soviet unions International commitments. Even so the takeover threw into question Gorbachev a policies of creating a free Market Economy granting autonomy to the nations republics and carrying out arms control agreements with the United slates. The emergency decree said it was designed to end Quot chaos and anarchy in the country and said Gorbachev 60, was unable to perform his duties for health reasons. However there has been no recent indication he was ill. It was unclear if Kanayev 53, a Little known provincial official when Gorbachev chose him As his Deputy in december held the main Power or if he was merely Asee Gorbachev on Page 2 soviet citizens cheer wildly As they ride on the first armoured vehicle that attempted to enter Moscow a red Square area on monday. It was forced to turn Back by protesters who blocked the  shocks word leaders London apr world leaders were stunned by news monday that Mikhail s. Gorbachev had been ousted. President Bush and others hinted that the soviet people might not allow a return to repression. Vice president Gennady i. Kanayev announced he was taking Over As acting president with the support of the defense minister the Kab and police chiefs and other officials. Bush called the coup Quot a disturbing development a put . Aid to Moscow on hold and said he expected Western allies to follow suit. A certainly i would not go Forward with Aid assistance when you have a group of people backed by the military. That take matters into their own hands. Bush said in Kennebunkport Maine where he Cut Short his vacation to return to Washington. Quot this will not be business As  Bush who met with Gorbachev last month for an arms control Summit noted Quot coups can fail what Hasni to been heard from yet is the people in the soviet  . Secretary general Javier Perez de Cuellar said he hoped the coup would not Lead to violence or derail democracy in Eastern Europe. In a written statement issued from Portugal where he is on vacation Perez de Cuellar praised Gorbachev a support of the United nations. The . Charter prohibits it from becoming involved in Domestic matters such As the soviet coup unless events threaten International Security. There were no reports of Western governments increasing military Alert status but Many vacationing leaders and officials returned to their capitals. Nato officials convened a special session monday in Brussels Bel see coup on Page 2