Word: karpov
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...business in START was painfully slow. Karpov and his colleagues seemed determined to hold further progress on offensive reductions hostage until they extracted some indication of American flexibility on defenses...
Later in 1985 the Soviets seemed to take Kampelman's advice. By the fall they were proposing an overall ceiling on each side of 6,000 "nuclear charges" -- a term that subsumed warheads on ballistic missiles as well as weapons on manned bombers. Karpov said 6,000 would represent roughly an overall 50% cut in strategic forces, since each side would cut from approximately 12,000 weapons. That was something of a magic number for the American side. Shultz told his staff that a START agreement would have to cut in half the most dangerous part of the strategic arsenals...
...intercontinental bombers. The U.S. wanted what it called "preferential" subceilings, which mandated deep cuts in ICBMs, where the Soviets had piled up most of their firepower, while all but leaving alone SLBMs and bombers, two areas of American advantage. "That's not fair, and you know it," said Karpov. "If there are to be subceilings, they'll apply equally to all three delivery means...
...There is nothing to discuss," snapped Karpov. "There is no common ground, no convergence. The important areas are those where we differ." The polemical tone continued for much of the round. On a number of occasions Karpov launched into philippics on the sins of the U.S. Tower would reply with low-key sarcasm, "Thank you, Victor. We subscribe completely to your characterization of the American position. Now let's get down to business...
During a long conversation over lunch, Kampelman said to Karpov, "Look, Victor, I don't know if you know what 'wiggle room' means." He pointed to his shoe. "It means room for the toe to move around in. At this moment I have no wiggle room. None. That's because you're handling these negotiations badly. You are desperately eager to have us show you wiggle room ((on SDI)), but I can't do it. I don't even want to ask for it back in Washington. However, if you can come up with significant reductions -- not promises, but realities...