Gorbachev honoured for peace role

Former President of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, was today in Dublin where he was made an honorary doctor for his contribution to peace.

Mr Gorbachev, whose rule brought an end to the Cold War, promised a swift return to Dublin after being made a Doctor in Laws at a special ceremony at Trinity College.

In his first visit to the island since 1989, the Nobel Peace Prize winner stood in red and white robes before an audience of around 300 academics and guests to accept the honour.

Despite his previous visit to Shannon, today was the first time he had been in Dublin.

During the visit he would also meet President Mary McAleese and be awarded the freedom of the city.

On accepting the honour he joined a long list of statesmen to be conferred with degrees at the university, among them former South African President Nelson Mandela and Senator George Mitchell, who chaired the Northern Ireland peace talks.

He used today’s ceremony to hint at his vision for greater Russian integration in Europe. He would spell out his ideas tomorrow, he said.

He won warm applause after Professor JV Luce told the gathering Gorbachev had ‘‘a leading place among statesmen and historians of the 20th century’’.

In a Latin reading, the professor said: ‘‘Here is the man who ... demolished the iron curtain of partition interposed between the nations of Europe, who put an end to the long ‘Cold War’ and who lifted from all out hearts the fear of an apocalyptic struggle between the superpowers.’’

He was then conferred with the doctorate by the Pro-Chancellor of the university Sir Peter Froggatt.

Gorbachev said: ‘‘I pledge that I will carry this honour with dignity and that I will be up to the responsibility of being an honorary doctor of your college for the rest of my life.’’

He said his new role meant he should often return to lecture students, and that he would remain true to that obligation.

After becoming President of the Soviet Union in 1991 Gorbachev’s reforms brought about glasnost and perestroika, pulling Russia out of its communist past and putting it on the path to democracy.

He transferred power from the Communist Party to elected bodies in the Soviet Republics, normalised relations with China, signed a series of arms deals with the US and withdrew troops from Afghanistan.

Gorbachev gave up power on Christmas Day 1991 as the USSR disbanded.

Tomorrow, he is set to meet with President Mary McAleese at her official residence in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.

Afterwards he will attend a ceremony at the City Hall where he would begranted freedom of the city.