HOWZAT

I would like to clarify one point. You expressed your concern regarding Western values. This would have been understandable if our commitment to certain ideals led to difficulties in the USSR or Eastern Europe, stood in the way of their progress. However, we have never pursued such objectives. Every discussion of Western values at Nato or other Western organisations is absolutely natural and not destructive. After all, what are Western values? They are transparency, pluralism, openness, free debate. In economic terms, it is the engine room of progress, free market. These values are not something new or opportunistic, they have been shared for a long time by us and people in Western Europe, they unite the Western world. We welcome changes in the Soviet Union or Poland and do not set them against Western values. Therefore I would like to see your point of view as well as possible so as to avoid any misunderstanding.

Gorbachev:

The main principle which we have adopted and which we follow as part of our new thinking is the right of each country to choose, including the right to reconsider and change its original course. This is a very painful process, however this is a fundamental right. The right to choose without interference from outside. The USA are committed to a particular social and economic system chosen by the American people. Let people of other countries also decide which, let’s say, god they want to pray to.

It is important for me that the new tendency for a renewal in Eastern and Western Europe moves towards closer convergence. The result will not be a copy of Swedish, British or Soviet model. No. What will come out will be something that answers the requirements of the current stage in the development of human and European civilisation.

We know that people do not now fear when faced with a choice of either one of the systems. They are looking for their own version which will provide them with better life. When this search is free we can only say: good for you.

Bush:

I don’t think that we differ here. We welcome self-determination [of states] and debates that accompany it. I would like to see our approach in positive light: Western values do not mean forcing our system on to Romania, Czechoslovakia or even the GDR.

(…)

Jacques Attali [French President’s adviser] said the following to Vadim Zagladin [a senior Gorbachev aide] in a short meeting in Kiev

December 6 1989: excerpt

A firm position of non-interference in internal matters of brother nations shown by the USSR during the events in the GDR have puzzled the French leadership. On the one hand, the French sincerely and with pleasure welcomed that fact that the ‘Brezhnev doctrine’ has become a thing of the past. However, on the other hand, the French leadership raised a question whether this meant that the USSR has made peace with the prospect of a united Germany and will not take any steps to prevent it? This has caused a fear approaching panic.

France by no means wants German re-unification, although it realises that in the end it is inevitable. Therefore, François Mitterrand took heart in that the USSR shared his position when he was assured of the latter by Gorbachev in the course their conversation.

(…)

Discussion on the German question held at the Kremlin

January 26 1990: excerpt

(…)

Ryzhkov:

We should be realistic. We can not stop this process. All we can do is chose our tactics because we will not be able to preserve the GDR. All barriers have been destroyed. The country’s economy is imploding. All state institutions are dissolved. We can not hope to preserve the GDR. However, a confederation is a different thing and we must propose our condition for a confederation. It is not right to be leaving [all initiative] to Kohl. If we do this then in 20 or 30 years Germany will start another world war.

Gorbachev:

Our process taking place in Eastern Europe is based objective factors and it is already much overheated. The shock was worse where the process touched the strongest links, such as the GDR, Czechoslovakia, Romania. We should learn our lesson, we should not be left behind, be realistic all the time.

Our people, even given all the criticisms that they are hearing, do not want to end the perestroika. They would rather reject its opponents. Our society in its current state is the most rotten of all those similar to us and nothing will save it. We ourselves started to change it and we must continue to do so, move forward, without losing initiative. We must not stall.

(…)

Translation and additional research by Sergei Cristo

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