Pages 137-138 from FCO 82-1724
Description
The document is a confidential communication discussing a private talk between the author and Schultz. The author emphasizes that the following information should not be attributed to Schultz in any future discussions. The main points discussed include:
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The author expresses concern about NATO's conventional inferiority and the Reykjavik proposals/agreements for eliminating nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles in Europe over a 10-year period. Schultz distinguishes between the President's proposals and the Labour Party's defense platform, stating that the President aims for multilateral, balanced, and verifiable agreements, while the Labour Party favors unilateral disarmament.
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The author suggests that the President's proposal for eliminating ballistic missiles would make it harder for the UK to defend itself. Schultz responds by saying that the elimination of ballistic missiles is a long way off.
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Schultz reflects on the President's attitudes, noting that he has an instinctive vision of the future. Schultz believes that younger people will increasingly reject nuclear weapons, and there is a need to make efforts to eliminate them to avoid political pressure on Western leaders.
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The document touches on the question of Soviet conventional superiority in Europe. Schultz questions whether the fears about it are wholly justified and suggests that the NATO alliance, in terms of population and economic strength, is larger and stronger than the Warsaw Pact. However, the author argues that totalitarian states have an advantage in maintaining a large military force.
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Schultz describes the Reykjavik meeting as one of the most remarkable negotiations he has participated in, with Gorbachev putting proposals on the table related to US views. Schultz believes that progress towards significant arms control agreements can only be achieved by high-level meetings between the President and Gorbachev, as professional negotiators become too rigid and get bogged down in details.
The document also includes a list of recipients and additional distribution related to arms control talks.