Malta First Lady Waits in Vain for Raisa Gorbachev at Museum

MDINA, Malta —  Soviet First Lady Raisa Gorbachev on Sunday failed to show for a scheduled visit to the ancient Maltese capital of Mdina, leaving the state’s first lady, Maria Tabaone, waiting for more than an hour in a museum.

The wife of Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev had been due to visit a Roman Catholic cathedral in the walled town and a nearby crafts market while her husband wound up two days of talks with President Bush.

But Tabaone, together with crowds of locals, waited in vain. Tabaone went away and came back after lunch, but there was still no sign of Raisa Gorbachev.

“There must have been some misunderstanding,” a local official said as Tabaone drove away for the final time, about three hours after the scheduled visit.

“The Soviet side has now informed us that the visit has been canceled.” The official did not state a reason for the cancellation.

“Its a disgraceful way to treat Mrs. Tabaone--she’s the wife of a head of state, too,” said one disgruntled local journalist eager to report a visit that he said would have put his hometown on the map.

But there was one consolation for the waiting crowds: a surprise appearance by British pop star Leo Sayer, on the island to give a concert. He posed for photographs at the point where Raisa Gorbachev’s Zil limousine would have drawn up.