Author Description

Intended as a reference work, this book summarizes key Soviet arms control proposals, actions, and responses during the period from 1985 to 1991. The book contains an analysis of changes in Soviet foreign policy during the period, a chronology of relevant events, and verbatim documentation for many of the proposals. The documentation begins with Mikhail Gorbachev's short speech at the funeral of Konstantin Chernenko in March 1986 and ends with Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze's resignation speech in December 1990. The concept of arms control has been interpreted in its broadest sense to include not only the actual proposals but also unilateral initiatives, new responses to Western proposals, confidence-building measures (such as the first-time disclosure of previously classified military information), and the about-face in Soviet policies in Afghanistan and Eastern Europe. The data contained in this book provides a thorough survey of this period that will contribute significantly to future research in this area.