However, he added the following warning: "Remember, if someone succeeds in pitting us against each other in a clash, there will be a tragedy. We should not allow this."

Gorbachev was not explicit about what such a tragedy might be, but one of his closest political allies, fellow Politburo member Alexander N. Yakovlev, was quoted Monday as saying the Lithuanian party's move might cause a "domino effect," encouraging Communists in the country's other 14 republics to break off from Moscow.

Soviet officials have given a virtual guarantee they will not use force to keep Lithuania and its 3.7 million residents in the Soviet Union. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gennady I. Gerasimov told the BBC last week the Kremlin has "only one tool" for preventing a breakup of the union.

"It is dialogue, dialogue and dialogue," said Gerasimov, who accompanied Gorbachev to Vilnius. "The only way is political means. We have no other choice."

Gorbachev also spoke of possible national repercussions when he told the Vilnius crowd the rights of all minorities in the Soviet Union must be respected or the nation of more than 100 ethnic groups may fall apart.

"If even the slightest suppression occurs, or misunderstanding, some-where in Estonia or Moldavia, it spills over into the rest of the country," he said.