Word: primakov
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Officials in the Soviet advance party were still talking in ominously demanding terms when they landed in London before the summit. Gorbachev's personal envoy, Yevgeni Primakov, told British Prime Minister John Major that Moscow expected "grants, debt relief, investment." If they were not forthcoming, Primakov warned reporters, Gorbachev's position might be endangered and there would be "a risk of social uprising, of civil war." Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Shcherbakov claimed that "there could be turmoil in the whole world...
...Soviets were visibly disappointed. They are now fully aware of how skeptical the West remains about their reform plans. They are on notice that they cannot expect large-scale aid and investment until they translate their words into action. In a separate session, the Western finance ministers told Primakov that the Soviets would have to "earn" future aid by proving the reality of their economic transformation. Complained a senior Soviet diplomat: "It is humiliating. They talked like bankers...
...again, off-again course of reform in the U.S.S.R. is no more certain in the future. Gorbachev said as much in Oslo, advising the West that "it would be self-deluding" to expect the Soviet Union to copy its system. One of his closest advisers, Yevgeni Primakov, a member of the Soviet Union's Security Council, said in an interview that Moscow frowns on aid that is "tied to specific requirements...
...Primakov promises only that the Soviet Union would "cover a certain part of the road toward a market economy" if the Group of Seven provides assistance, and says it would then seek more aid for further steps. As to political conditions of the sort Baker mentioned, the Soviet planner dismissed them: "I think there is no sense in making them." Washington knows that Moscow cannot appear to be selling its foreign policy for Western money, but wants to make sure the Soviets understand where they must make concessions...
...expectations for aid. As Gorbachev said in Oslo, he thinks he is "entitled to expect large-scale support" to ensure perestroika's success. But, said British Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd, "I am sure Mr. Gorbachev is not expecting to find a check under the plate" at the London summit. Primakov and other Soviet officials say Gorbachev will not be asking for any specific amount...