Office of the Historian

189. Note From Arnold Kanter of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)1

Washington, January 11, 1991

Brent:

The attached cable from Jack Matlock2 reports on a Soviet proposal that Reg Bartholomew and Obukov meet in Geneva January 17 or 18 to resolve the remaining START issues. (If the U.S. prefers, the Soviets would be willing to come to Washington instead of meeting in Geneva.) Obukov says that in view of Shevardnadze’s lame-duck status, he had full authority from Gorbachev to close the deal on START.

Although there is the implication of urgency (if not eagerness) to wrap up START in the Soviet message, it is far too soon to chill the champagne (or probably even to buy it). But at least the Foreign Ministry’s view of the world is that Gorbo still wants a summit on February 11, and wants to conclude START (if only to open the way to that summit).

Unless the promised Shevardnadze reply to the latest Baker letter on START3 is totally unacceptable in tone and content (and it won’t [Page 965] be), I think we will have little choice but to agree to a Bartholomew-Obukhov meeting next week. Although as a matter of personal preference and taste I am reluctant to fly to Geneva on the eve (or morning) of war in the Gulf, we probably would be more effective and get more business done in Geneva than in Washington.

I know that there is a lot more going on now than START, and that some of it might bear on whether we meet with the Soviets next week (thereby increasing the expectations—if not odds in favor—of a February 11 summit), and on whether we meet in Geneva or Washington. If so, I need to know what there is and how it bears.

My Ungroup will address the proposed Bartholomew-Obukov meeting when we meet this afternoon at 3:00.4 Please try to let me know by then if there is any reason why I should not support a positive response to the Obukov proposal (following the Shevardnadze reply to Baker), or should express a strong preference for a Geneva or Washington venue.

Thanks.

—Arnie5
  1. Source: George H.W. Bush Library, Bush Presidential Records, National Security Council, John A. Gordon Files, Subject Files, OA/ID CF01034–004, START—January 1991 [1]. Secret. Copied to Gates.↩
  2. Attached but not printed is telegram 836 from Moscow, January 10.↩
  3. See Document 185.↩
  4. No minutes were found.↩
  5. Printed from a copy bearing Kanter’s typed signature.↩