Panel Says Germany to Unify

German unification is inevitable but must occur at a measured pace, panelists told about 300 people at an Institute of Politics forum last night.

But panel members said that although the Soviet Union and Western Europe recognize the two Germanys right to self-determination, they added that these countries also worry about its effects.

"Every nation has the right to determine their own government," said Feydor Burlatsky, member of the Supreme Soviet, the official parliament. "There can be no doubt about this."

But, he said, the Soviet government can offer advice in shaping change and assure that its pace is not too rapid. "Structure for reform, but not for revolution," he said.

The Soviet politician said the U.S.S.R. does not fear the strength of a unified Germany, but memories of the Second World War do linger.

But Freimut Duve, a socialist member of the West German parliament, said, "Idon't see why one should be so pessimistic when weare witness to a radically Western-oriented,peaceful and successful revolution."

He said the mentality of Hitler's Germany nolonger exists, adding that the World War Il erashould not shape views on reunification today.

"I will say it again and again," he said. "Thepeople who come together now are not the people of1945. They are not the people of 1955--they aresomething different."

And some panelists questioned the motives ofWestern Europeans who criticize reunification.

"For years and years, the members of the [NorthAtlantic Treaty Organization] at annual meetingshave made a point of saying they favor theunification of Germany," said Shepard stone, chairof the Aspen Institute in Berlin. "Now they'rerunning around trying to stop it, or at least slowit down."

But other panelists pointed to an absence ofpolitical institutions in East Germany as anobstacle to immediate unification.

Burlatsky said that even in Poland, whereSolidarity and a deep-rooted Christian Democratmovement provided a structure for change, theprocess took 10 years.

"The only existing structures are corrupt anddisintegrating," Dillon Professor of FrenchCivilization Stanley H. Hoffman said of EastGermany. He said a plan for peaceful unificationshould include arms reduction, superpowerwithdrawal and an eventual "Pan-European mutualnon-aggression system."

And Duve said some of these changes are alreadyin progress.

"There is nobody now who could ask Sovietsoldiers to fire on Hungarians these days," Duvesaid. "[Soviet leader Mikhail S.] Gorbachev is notone person. He is a huge movement.