24. Letter From Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev to President Carter1
Secretary of State Cyrus Vance has handed over to me your letter of March 24.2
I think there is no need at the present moment to say something on the substance of the talks just concluded in Moscow.3
We shall be expecting from you concrete considerations on the questions of strategic arms limitation, which you may have, taking into account the exchange of views on these issues we had with Mr. Vance in Moscow. We have stated to him our concrete positions on the issues of completing the work on a new SALT agreement.
I would like to stress that the USSR policy in relations with the US has been and remains aimed at a steady advance—proceeding on existing experience—in developing constructive cooperation and interaction to solve the questions of bilateral relations and to settle international problems on the basis of mutual regard for legitimate interests [Page 121] of each other, strengthening confidence between our countries, the principles of equality, equal security and non-interference in internal affairs.
On our part, we are ready as before to do everything in our power to make things go precisely that way. Otherwise it is hardly possible to expect the cessation of the arms race, achievement of a settlement of acute international problems. We are deeply convinced that, given a similar approach on the part of the US, there can be no insurmountable obstacles for the solution of even the most complex issues in the relations between our countries.
Sincerely,
- Source: Carter Library, Plains File, President’s Personal Foreign Affairs File, Box 4, USSR (Brezhnev Drafts/Letters), 4/77–9/80. No classification marking. Printed from an unofficial translation. The initial “C” is written in the upper right corner of the letter, indicating that Carter saw it.↩
- See Document 15.↩
- See Documents 17–23.↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩