191. Editorial Note
On April 11, 1987, Secretary of State George Shultz departed Washington for Helsinki, where he met with Finnish President Mauno Koivisto on April 12 before arriving in Moscow on April 13. In several private and plenary sessions that day, Shultz and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze discussed a range of topics, including Soviet penetration of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, human rights in the Soviet Union, and ongoing efforts at the Nuclear and Space Talks in Geneva to craft an Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty. Memoranda of conversation are printed in Foreign Relations, 1981–1988, vol. VI, Soviet Union, October 1986–January 1989, Documents 38–47.
[Page 843]Shultz and Shevardnadze’s third session of April 13 focused on outstanding differences with regard to a Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Shultz quoted “his favorite author, the General Secretary,” who professed that “radical reductions in strategic weapons remain the root of the problem.” The Secretary reiterated the basic principle, discussed at Reykjavik, of a 50% reduction to equal levels, and stated that such an agreement would include 6000 warheads, 1600 missiles and heavy bombers, and a heavy bomber counting rule. He went on to stress the importance the United States placed upon achieving additional sublimits on ballistic missiles, and to emphasize the destabilizing effects of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), in particular Soviet “heavy ICBMs” (i.e., SS–18s). Shultz proposed to limit the number of warheads on heavy ICBMs to 1500, and to pay “special attention” to missiles with more than 6 warheads, which posed “one more invitation to a first strike.” An additional concern was mobile land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, which Shultz proposed to eliminate, as part of an overall ICBM warhead limitation of 1650. In response, Shevardnadze expressed support for the basic formula of 6000 warheads and 1600 missiles, while reiterating Soviet objections to ceilings and subceilings. Shevardnadze also called for inspections of vessels carrying sea-launched cruise missiles, and for both sides to adhere to the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Upon the conclusion of Shevardnadze’s remarks, Shultz offered several rejoinders and proposed that the two sides instruct a working group to discuss strategic offensive weapons and space and report back to the secretary and foreign minister prior to Shultz’s departure on April 15. (Shultz and Shevardnadze, April 13, 1987; Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S-IRM Records, Memorandum of Conversations Pertaining to United States and USSR Relations, 1981–1990, Lot 93D188, Moscow Trip—Memcons 4/12–16/87) (declass) The memorandum of conversation of this meeting is printed in Foreign Relations, 1981–1988, vol. VI, Soviet Union, October 1986–January 1989, Document 39.