Word: haig
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During the meeting, Haig complained to Gromyko about the continuing Soviet buildup in Afghanistan, and about Cuban involvement in Central America and southern Africa. The U.S. wants a Cuban withdrawal from Angola as part of a general settlement on Namibia (South West Africa). This subject, according to the Secretary of State, "occupied an extensive portion of our exchanges." In one important area, U.S. and Soviet interests seemed to coincide: continuing the month-old Geneva talks on intermediate-range theater nuclear weapons. But overall, said Haig, his discussions with Gromyko were "very sober." Gromyko, in turn, blamed the U.S. for blocking...
...large, Western European governments seemed more pleased with the outcome of the Haig-Gromyko talks than did the participants. Reflecting a widespread relief that relations between the superpowers appeared to be ever so slightly improved, a West German newspaper declared: "At least they're talking to each other again." The Europeans were glad that the superpowers had committed themselves to a matter of primary European concern: the negotiations on theater nuclear weapons. Even the length of the talks gave the Europeans a bit of comfort. After all, remarked an Italian nuclear-arms expert, "if you only want to exchange...
...Alexander Haig learned in Geneva last week, linkage is one of those diplomatic catchwords that is easy to proclaim but difficult to apply. And when it is applied, it can create more problems for the U.S. than for the Soviet Union...
...pressures-this time from the right and, ironically, from Kissinger himself, who two weeks ago criticized the Administration for taking too soft a line on Poland-may have been the factors that led Haig to make a gesture of punitive linkage. Haig told Gromyko that the U.S.S.R.'s misbehavior in Poland and Central America required the U.S. to postpone the announcement of a new round of Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START). Yet Haig took pains not to threaten cancellation, or even indefinite postponement, of the negotiations themselves. There is every indication that they will still take place eventually...
...Haig's gesture was hardly even a slap on Gromyko's wrist. The Soviet Foreign Minister had come to Geneva hoping not so much for an announcement of future negotiations as for an opportunity to play to a West European audience...