TRIBUNE

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

PRODUCED BY USSR EMBASSY PRESS OFFICE

REYKJAVIK:

We are meeting with you again, and
}_ the subject is again the same — Reyk-
_ javik. This question is too serious.
The outcome of the meeting with the
US President has stirred the entire
world. Many new data have emerged
Over the past days demanding assess-
} ‘ents which I would like to share with
| you today.
if I told a press conference in Reyk-
| Javik, you remember, that we shall yet
} ‘eturn more than once to the meeting
| between the leaders of the USSR and
__ the U.S. I’mconvinced that we have not
| 4S yet realized the entire significance of
| What has happened. But we are sure to
|  ‘ealize that. If not now, then tomorrow,
| but we will understand the entire signi-
_ ficance of Reykjavik and will do justice
| both to accomplishments and gains,
and to missed opportunities and losses.
Dramatic as the course of the talks
and their results were, the Reykjavik
_ Meeting greatly facilitated, probably for
the first time in many decades, our
‘Search for nuclear disarmament. I be-
lieve now that, as a result of the meet-
Ing, we have risen to a higher level not
Snly in analyzing the situation, but also
In determining the objectives and
ework of possible accords on nu-
— ar disarmament. Having found our-
Selves a few steps from a practical
&greement on such a difficult and vitally
portant problem, we all grew to
Understand to a far greater extent the
(ger facing the world, to feel stronger
© heed for immediate solutions, and
| What is most important, we know at
Sent that it is realistic and possible to
Vert the nuclear threat.
At this point, I would like to note that
Soviet programme for eliminating

Tt
ii

nuclear arms by the year 2000 was de-
scribed until recently by many pundits
of world politics as illusory, as an un-
realizable dream.

Indeed, this is the case when past
experience is neither wealth nor coun-
sel, but a burden that makes the search
for solutions more difficult.

Reykjavik generated not hopes
alone. Reykjavik also highlighted the
hardships along the road towards a
nuclear-free world.

Without understanding this fact, it is
impossible to assess correctly the re-
sults of the Icelandic meeting.

The forces opposed to the trend to-
wards disarmament are great. We felt

that both during the meeting and at ~

present. Much is being said now about
Reykjavik.

‘U.S. frustr ated agreement
which seemed
near at hand’

On October 22, 1986, Mikhail Gorbachev, general sec-
_ retary of the CPSU Central Committee, made his
second TV appearance in just over a week to clarify
the reasons why there were no agreements at the
Reykjavik summit and to set the facts straight as

to who was really to blame in light of American

It is the common view that the meet-
ing has raised to a new level both the
Soviet-American dialogue and the
East-West dialogue as a whole. It has
been taken out of the plane of technical
estimates and numierical comparisons
to new parameters and dimensions.

This height reveals new prospects. in
the solution of the current acute prob-
lems. I mean security, nuclear
disarmament, prevention of new spirals
of the arms race, and the new realiza-
tion of the opportunities that have
opened up before humankind.

The debate on the results of the meet-
ing is, one may say, only beginning. I
believe, let me say more — I am con-
fident that it will be mounting. So will,
as we believe, general efforts of people,
political and public with the aim of mak-
ing use of the possibilities that opened
up in Reykjavik. What was outlined
there is the route to be followed toward
resolving vitally important problems on

‘What was outlined (at Reykjavik) is the route to be

followed towards resolving

vitally important problems

on which the very fate of humankind depends.’

Realistically-minded people assess .

the meeting in Iceland as a major politi-
calevent. They welcome the fact that it
has resulted in an advance to new
qualitative levels in the fight against
nuclear weapons. The results of Reyk-
javik, as they are viewed by the Soviet
leadership, encourage all who want a
turn for the better.

Interesting assessments are being
made within the state, public and
scientific circles of most countries. The
opportunities that have become appa-
rent are being characterized as
corresponding to universal human aspi-
rations. —

which the very fate of humankind
depends.

However, the time that passed since
Reykjavik has demonstrated something
else. Quarters linked with militarism,
with profits coming from the arms race,
are Clearly scared. They are doing their
utmost to cope with the new situation
and, coordinating their actions, are try-
ing in every way to mislead the people,
to place under control the sentiment of
broad sections of the world public, to
suppress their quest for peace, to hin-
der governments from taking a clear-
Cut position at this decisive moment in
history. These quarters have at their

claims.

disposal political power, economic
leverage, and powerful mass media. Of
course, one should not overestimate
their strength, but one should not
underestimate it either.

All indications are that the battle will
be a difficult one. A new ré-grouping of
forces began in the camp of the enemies
of detente and disarmament. Feverish
efforts are being made to put up such
obstacles so as to check process which
received its momentum in Reykjavik.
In such circumstances, I consider it
necessary to return to the acute issues
which appeared on the agenda in
connection with the meeting in Iceland.

I am doing that in order to draw your
attention to the word-juggling and dis-
sonance which we are observing. This
might be the effect of confusion,
perplexity, but this might be a pre-plan-

PACIFIC TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 26, 1986 e $1