Gorbachev's still in line for Liberty Medal

Despite Mikhail S. Gorbachev's controversial statements last week supporting Russia's invasion of Georgia, the former Soviet leader is still scheduled to receive the 2008 Liberty Medal next month, the president of the National Constitution Center said yesterday.

"Awarding the Liberty Medal should not be construed as an endorsement by the center of President Gorbachev's views on the Russia-Georgia conflict," Joseph Torsella said.

Former President George H.W. Bush, chairman of the center and a 2006 medal winner, is to present the award to Gorbachev on Sept. 18 at a ceremony at the center.

When the announcement was made in June, Bush labeled Gorbachev "a great world leader and dear friend."

Torsella reiterated that Gorbachev was selected on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall "for his role in ending the Cold War, opening his society to freedom, and for allowing democratic peaceful revolutions throughout Eastern Europe.

"Recent events do not change the historic nature of those accomplishments and, in some ways, make a pointed contrast."

Established in 1989, the Liberty Medal is awarded to men and women "who have strived to secure the blessings of liberty to people the world over." Previous recipients include U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and Polish President Lech Walesa.