President Mikhail S. Gorbachev today proposed a government overhaul that would give republics more influence and could force out Prime Minister Nikolai I. Ryzhkov, who has resisted swift reform. The move appeared to be a concession to Gorbachev's main rival and frequent critic, Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin, who had demanded a coalition government and Ryzhkov's resignation. Speaking to the Supreme Soviet legislature, Gorbachev also said an emergency program will be drafted within two weeks to deal with growing food shortages. He did not give details. In today's 12-minute speech, Gorbachev elaborated on some of the ideas he introduced in a speech Friday. That speech came at the demand of lawmakers, who insisted the president give an emergency report on the state of the union. Gorbachev's proposals aim to calm growing discontent over the country's collapsing economy and the increasing rebelliousness among the republics, all but one of which have made declarations of sovereignty. ``I appeal to citizens of all 15 republics to support these undelayable measures,'' Gorbachev said today. The separatist movement must be stopped, he said. ``We cannot break up (the union). We cannot go down this path.'' Gorbachev did not make it clear whether he could implement the proposals on his own or if they needed ratification by Soviet lawmakers. But Anatoly Lukyanov, chairman of the Supreme Soviet, told legislators that the 2,250-member Congress of People's Deputies, which meets next month, would have to approve any constitutional amendments for government restructuring. Under Gorbachev's proposals, the Council of Ministers headed by Ryzhkov would be replaced by several bodies under direct presidential control. The principal ruling body would be the Federation Council, which would include representatives of the republics. Legislators generally welcomed the proposed elimination of Ryzhkov's job, but unless the republics agree to join the Federation Council, the restructuring is unlikely to solve the paralysis of power in the country. Initial reaction from some republics was negative. An Estonia lawmaker said her republic and the two other Baltic states of Latvia and Lithuania would not join the council. ``We will not take part in any old or new institution which is an institution of federation,'' Marju Lauristin, deputy speaker of Estonia's parliament, told reporters. She suggested the restructuring was an attempt to establish a dictatorship. ``It is concentrating all power in the economy in politics in military affairs in one (person's) hands,'' she said. The Baltics have said that their incorporation into the Soviet Union in 1940 was illegal and have launched independence drives. Gorbachev said the Federation Council, formed in March, would be strengthened and would meet more regularly. ``Out of a consultative body it should be transformed into an effective structure to coordinate the efforts of the center and the republics,'' he said. Many republics have nullified national legislation and presidential decrees and have declared their laws supreme. The new structure was designed to end such conflicts. Ryzhkov told reporters he had no idea what new role he might have in the new structure, and said he learned of it only 20 minutes before Gorbachev's speech. But he said his job was being eliminated. ``I understood that the position of chairman of the Council of Ministers won't exist. There will be presidential rule, a presidential Cabinet,'' Ryzhkov said. Politicians, demonstrators and commentators have demanded Ryzhkov's resignation for at least a year. Yeltsin has said the country cannot solve its economic crisis as long as Ryzhkov and his Cabinet were in place. Asked if he were willing to remain in a government job, Ryzhkov told reporters, ``I will work as long as the people need me.'' Ryzhkov, 61, was appoined head of the Council of Ministers in September 1985. Previously, he was director of the Uralmash machine building complex in the Ural Mountains city of Sverdlovsk. The Federation Council, comprised of the leaders of the 15 republics and headed by Gorbachev, has been meeting only sporadically and has not taken a major role in policy-making. Gorbachev said that with the strengthening of the Federation Council, the 18-member Presidential Council, created last March to implement domestic and foreign policy, would be eliminated. To strengthen law and order, which many Soviets have complained is breaking down, Gorbachev said that presidential representatives will be appointed and sent to regions of the country. Under recent constitutional amendments, Gorbachev has the power to impose direct presidential rule in restive areas of the country. The Soviet leader appeared to be moving closer to this step with the announcement of the stationing of his representatives in those areas.
