Last Soviet leader to be honoured in Dublin today

A former president of the Soviet Union, Mr Mikhail Gorbachev, will receive the freedom of Dublin during a two-day visit to the city starting this afternoon.

Mr Gorbachev's visit is being co-hosted by Dublin City Council and the European Russian Trust. His first engagement will be at Trinity College at 4.30 p.m. where he will be conferred with the degree of Doctor in Laws in recognition of his service to his country and his contribution to peace.

Trinity College has already conferred honorary degrees on Mr Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, and Senator George Mitchell, former chairman of the peace talks in Northern Ireland.

Mr Gorbachev will launch the European Russian Trust in Ely Place and will then be the guest of honour at a dinner in Dublin Castle hosted by Dr Woods, Minister for Education and Science, on behalf of the Government.

After attending a press conference in the Mansion House tomorrow morning, Mr Gorbachev will meet members of the Russian community in Ireland. The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Michael Mulcahy, will accompany the former Soviet president at this meeting.

Mr Gorbachev will also address the Institute of European Affairs before attending a lunch hosted by the President, Mrs McAleese, at Áras an Uachtaráin.

Tomorrow afternoon he will be granted the Freedom of the City of Dublin at the City Hall at 4 p.m.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin said Mr Gorbachev's visit would help cement relations between Russia and Ireland as well as honouring a man whose place in history was already secure.

"Mikhail Gorbachev wasn't just instrumental in introducing democracy and economic reform to the people of Russia, his name was synonymous with the quest for greater freedom," Cllr Mulcahy said.

The most recent recipients of the freedom of Dublin were Burmese activist Ms Aung San Suu Kyi and rock band U2 and their manager Mr Paul McGuinness in March 2000.

Mr Gorbachev served as president of the Soviet Union from 1989 to 1991 and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. He is president of the International Foundation for Socio-Economic and Political Studies (The Gorbachev Foundation) and is also president of Green Cross International.

His final engagement in Dublin will be dinner at the Mansion House tomorrow evening before he departs on Thursday morning.

Russia's last communist leader: page 12