Office of the Historian

16. Memorandum From Secretary of State Shultz to President Reagan1

Washington, January 24, 1987

SUBJECT

  • January 24 Dubinin Meeting

Ambassador Dubinin, who will be returning to Moscow Sunday2 for consultations, came by Saturday morning for a review of where the relationship stands. He said he expects to see Shevardnadze, Dobrynin and “in all probability” Gorbachev while he is back.

As we agreed, I used the occasion to express our satisfaction with the more businesslike approach their new head of delegation, Vorontsov, has been taking in Geneva. I said that we welcomed the apparent realism reflected in Vorontsov’s recognition of your commitment to SDI, and his expression of willingness to defer certain issues to a later negotiation. I made clear, however, that we wanted to wrap up the remaining issues on START/INF as soon as possible. On Vorontsov’s proposal for an expert level discussion of ABM Treaty issues, I reaffirmed our view that the problem is, in the first instance, a political one.

I told Dubinin of your strong commitment to moving ahead in the months ahead, which we agreed were of particular importance. In that connection, I relayed our willingness to schedule a trip to Moscow by me as soon as we see evidence through the Kampelman-Vorontsov channel that a basis has been laid for a successful meeting. Dubinin, who appeared to be informed of the substance of Max’s discussions with Vorontsov, indicated that the Soviets would be “analysing” where things stood in Geneva when Vorontsov is in Moscow next week. I told him that Max would also be coming home for consultations.

Finally, I told Dubinin that we had noted Vorontsov’s comment that Gorbachev still had in mind a Washington summit. I asked the Ambassador to convey to Moscow your assurance that the invitation is still open.

  1. Source: Reagan Library, Ermarth Files, Chron Files, January–February 1987 (1). Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Parris and cleared by Simons and Thomas. Carlucci sent a copy of the memorandum to Reagan under a January 29 covering memorandum. Reagan initialed that memorandum, and a stamped notation indicates he saw it that day. (Reagan Library, Ermarth Files, Arms Control)↩
  2. January 25.↩