Word: gromyko
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Neither side had much to say at Geneva about intermediate-range missiles--at least that it was ready to disclose to the press. Accounts differed as to whether Gromyko had renewed the Soviet demand that British and French nuclear forces be counted in any eventual agreement. It really did not matter much; he is quite certain to do so when actual bargaining resumes. The U.S. is equally sure to stick to its position that American and Soviet intermediate- range missiles be limited to equal numbers of warheads. It will again argue that British and French missiles must be left...
Aside from notetakers and translators, only Nitze, McFarlane and U.S. Ambassador to Moscow Arthur Hartman accompanied Shultz to the actual meetings; the Soviet side included Gromyko, Ambassador to Washington Anatoli Dobrynin, First Deputy Foreign Minister Georgi Kornienko and Arms Negotiator Victor Karpov. From time to time one of the U.S. team, usually McFarlane, entered the bubble, where briefing papers often disappeared under salami sandwiches and coffee cups, to inform the rest of the delegation what was happening. At the end, two veteran Washington antagonists even indulged in some genial clowning before journalists at the Hotel Intercontinental. As Perle waited...
However happy the atmosphere seemed to be in Geneva, the road ahead is bound to be long and difficult. Gromyko spoke of "the immense tasks which must be addressed in the course of these negotiations." Again using remarkably similar language, Reagan noted, "These new negotiations will be difficult as we grapple with the issues so central to peace and security for ourselves, our allies and the world." But, echoing each other yet a third time, the two pledged a major effort. Gromyko: "The Soviet Union is prepared to go its part of the road." Reagan: "For our part...
...they mean it? One good augury for future negotiations is that the Geneva talks were conducted in a serious spirit. Gromyko made clear the Soviet opposition to Star Wars time and again. But the Americans agreed that he never spoke heatedly. Shultz was also polite, though stern, even when complaining about alleged Soviet violations of existing arms-control treaties. The two sides proved adept at framing communique language ambiguous enough to accommodate their differences...
That question was very much on Andrei Gromyko's mind in Geneva last week. George Shultz, who prides himself on being a straight talker, was in the awkward position of having to hedge and dodge. A Soviet official said after the meeting, "Whenever our side tried to learn about the specifics of the American space-arms program, Mr. Shultz tried to answer us with vague generalities and rather unhelpful lectures...