 The city governments of all three cities appealed to the Moldovan Supreme Soviet to postpone making a decision on the language question.The leaders of the communist organization in these cities, however, claimed that they did this just to defuse the explosive situation.For example, Evgenii Berdnikov of Rȋbniţa said "We could not stop this process," at a meeting with Moldovan First Secretary, Semion Grossu.