CONGRATULATIONS FOR GORBACHEV ON 70.  BIRTHDAY








MOSCOW, 2 March (RIA "Nowosti" rIA-"Nowosti"-Korrespondent).  Former
Soviet president Mikhail Gorbatschow is to its 70.  Birthday on Friday
with numerous congratulations honoured.  " a whole epoch is connected
to the reform politician and Nobel peace prize carrier from 1990
rightfully with your name ", wrote Russian president Vladimir Putin to
Kremlin specification.  " this epoch brought profound modifications to
our country and changed the political map of the world radically. "
Gorbachev came 1985 as a Soviet Secretary-General to power and tried
in the character of the " Perestroika " (transformation) the Soviet
Union to reform.  Its politics contributed to the end of the cold war
and enabled the peaceful revolutions in central and Eastern Europe.  "
your name with the regaining of the German unit to remain connected
always ", wrote Federal President Johannes Rau Gorbachev.

Most congratulations were received when Gorbachev's donation in
Moscow.  " the fax devices run practically hot.  We hardly follow to
submit Mikhail Sergejewitsch all the letters ", said a coworker of the
donation.

Contrary to its political rival of many years Boris Yel'tsin, its 70.
  Birthday at the beginning of of February in the hospital to commit
had, pointed themselves Gorbachev to its anniversary healthy and
energetically.  " I have the desire to create still something.  I was
an optimist and one will remain always. "  It confessed however that
the life without his 1999 Mrs. Raissa died at blood cancer was " to
bear dreadfully with difficulty ".