[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
sive weapons and have moved forward on
working out a new agreement on SALT. All
these can be considered positive elements
in the relations between our two countries.
On the other hand, the constant growth
by the Soviet Union of its armed forces and
modern conventional weapons by the USSR
provokes serious concern in many people.
Another major issue which alarms us
is Africa, which President Carter and I have
already discussed with you in detail. I think
we all recognize that elements of rivalry will
remain between us in the future. But at the
same time there will be areas, in which we
will be able to achieve mutual understand-
ing and find a common language. If you
look at the situation in Africa today, it seems
that the areas of rivalry have developed be-
yond the limits of normal competition and
led to military conflicts, fed by Soviet weap-
ons and equipment and by armed combat
detachments provided by Cuba.
I am acquainted with your explanation
of the factors which stimulated certain mili-
tary actions in Africa, and I will not repeat
what was already said by both sides. How-
COLD WAR INTERNATIONAL HISTORY PROJECT BULLETIN 113
ing to their orientation. Yet we have always
tried to stress constructive aspects of those
declarations which were put forward by the
President, and by you and by other leading
American authorities who deal with foreign
policy.
But most recently our attention has
been more and more attracted to the fact that,
beginning with the President (and
Brzezinski has already surpassed himself in
this), American officials are constantly mak-
ing statements which are aimed, or so it
seems to us more and more, at nearly bring-
ing us back to the period of “cold war.”
In Washington, D.C. the other day, I
could not but come to the conclusion that
the orientation of President Carter’s state-
ments is to a great extent determined by the
character of the false information which he
receives. This can be illustrated by his dec-
larations on the situation in Africa, which
are obviously based on wrong, distorted in-
formation.
Now I see that the matter is even more
serious. Evidently somebody in the United
States, some circles, consciously are creat-
ing myths, and are then referring to those
same myths, and dumping all this on the laps
of the President, the Secretary of State, and
other American leaders.
So what is the real policy of the USA,
and towards what is it directed: to the cre-
ation of relations based on mutual respect,
on non-interference in internal affairs, and
on building relations; or towards aggravat-
ing of tension in our relations[?] This is the
question, which I would like you to answer.
On returning to Moscow I will report
to L.I. Brezhnev and to the Politburo of the
Central Committee of the Communist Party
about the general political situation in the
United States today and about the USA’s
policy towards the USSR. I presume that
you, in turn, will inform the President about
this conversation.
C. Vance. I will certainly inform the
President about our conversation. Actually
you have just asked me two questions. First,
you asked me to explain the reasons for that
which you have called an explosion of hos-
tile propaganda toward the USSR in the
United States. Let me try to answer this
question with the utmost openness.
There are several facts which provoke
concern in regard to the Soviet Union in the
United States. These are reflected, naturally,
in newspaper articles, materials, TV pro-
ever, in answering your question, I want to
set forth the evaluation of the actions of the
Soviet Union in Africa which is being
formed in the USA and many other coun-
tries (not only European). Many people now
presume that the Soviet Union sets fires in
various regions of Africa instead of prevent-
ing those fires in a peaceful way.
The third issue which provokes seri-
ous concern is connected with the question
of human rights, which has become particu-
larly urgent recently because of actions like
[Soviet dissident Yuri] Orlov’s trial.
These are the three main issues, which
provoke what you call the explosion of emo-
tions directed against the Soviet Union.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]