Gorbachev at Formentor

Former Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev will be arriving in Majorca next week for a holiday at the Hotel Formentor. He will be accompanied by his daughter. Gorbachev had been planning to go to Minorca last year but cancelled the holiday due to the death of his wife, Raisa. The former Soviet leader was first introduced to Majorca by King Juan and Queen Sofia. He was their guest at the Marivent Palace in Cala Mayor in 1992. During his brief Majorcan stay he toured the Cathedral and also visited La Cartuja in Valldemossa. This time it is a strictly informal visit and the former Soviet leader will try and find some rest and relaxation on the beaches around the hotel. For the Hotel Formentor hosting international statesmen is nothing new. Gorbachev will dine in a restaurant which has also hosted George Bush and Winston Churchill. The hotel rooms have also had their fair share of important guests including John Major, Jacques Chirac and Helmut Kohl.