Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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noninterferenceintheaffairsofotherstates,andtherenunciationofpressures

forunilateraladvantage.Therewasnoreply.Nothingfurtherwasheardofthis

projectuntilIarrivedinMoscowamonthlater.



OntheMiddleEast,Dobryninsoughttoengagemeinadialoguedesigned,

ineffect,toimposetheextremeArabprogram.Thisdidnotfitintoourstrategyas

longasSoviettroopsandadvisersweresoprominentinEgyptandaslongasthe

SovietUnionwassupportingtheradicalArabs.WhenIcounteredwithproposals 

relatedtoIsrael’ssecurityconcerns,herapidlylostinterest.



Fortherest,theprospectoftheMaysummitwasusedtoprodourtwo

bureaucraciestoworkoutdetailedagreementsonvarioustechnicalsubjects

suitableforbilateralcooperation.Theseaccordswerenotpoliticallysignificant,

buttheywoulddemonstratethattheUnitedStatesandtheSovietUnionasmajor

industrialpowershadcommon interestsinavariety offields.Onceunleashed,the

bureaucraciesdugupeveryprojectthathadlaindormantforyearsandpushed

themtoaconclusionwiththesummitasthedeadline.Thebiggestproblemwas

stilltheunendingrivalrybetweentheWhiteHouseandthevariousdepartments

astowhowouldgetcredit.Forexample,inFebruaryanagreementwasreached

toexpandcommercialairservicesbetweentheUnitedStatesandtheSoviet

Union.ItwassignedroutinelyattheStateDepartmentonMarch17.WhenI

informedthePresidentbymemorandumonMarch22,Nixonwroteonit:“K,get

somecreditforus.”



Acompromisewasfinallyreachedbetweenthedepartments’desirefor

recognitionforhav ingdonethenegotiatingandNixon’sinsistenceonashareof

theglory.Thesigningofmostofthebilateralagreementswaspostpo neduntilthe

summit.TheretheywouldbesignedbytheCabinetmemberswhosestaffshad

negotiatedthem,inthepresenceofabeamingNixonandBrezhnev.Rogers

signedtheagreementsonhealthandscienceandtechnology;JohnWarner,

SecretaryoftheNavy,signedanagreementonprocedurestoavoidincidentsat

sea.Forsomereasonlostinthemurkoftime,Nixondecidedthathewouldsign

theagreementonenvironmentalprotection.Oneeffectofholdingupthesigning

oftheagreementswasanincidentallinkage:Ifthesummitdidnottakeplace,

theseagreements,whichtheSovietssodesired,wouldnotbeconsummated.



Ontheeconomicfrontwewerefacingtwopressures,Sovietanddomestic.

TheSovietshadindicatedaninterestintradesinceearlyintheAdministration,as

IdiscussedinChapterV.Inthefallof1971,withasummitfinallyscheduled,

GromykoformallyraisedtheissuewithNixon.Dobryninfollowedupbyproposing

anexchangeofvisitsofCabinetofficersresponsiblefortrade.Secretaryof

CommerceMauriceStanswenttoMoscowlate inNovemberandreturned

enchantedbySoviethospitalityandwithgreatexpectationsofaboominSoviet

trade.Therewerethreeobstacles—MostFavoredNation(MFN)statusforthe

SovietUnion,SovietLend‐Leasedebts,andlinkage.TheUnitedStateshad

withdrawnMFNstatusfromtheSovietUnionduringtheKoreanWar;even

thoughrestoringitwouldhavemarginalimpactonourtrade,itwasof

considerablesymbolicimportance.ButMFNstatuscouldnotbegrantedwithout

Congressionalsupport,forwhichitwasnecessarytoclearawayoneoldwartime 

issue,therepaymentofRussia’sLend‐Leasedebt.TheSovietspassionately

resentedthepropositionthattheyshouldbeaskedtopayforassistanceinawar

againstacommonmortalenemyinwhichtheyhadsufferedtheheaviestinterms

ofhumanlives.TheCongressfeltotherwise;itbelievedthatweshouldberepaid

atleastfortheconsumergoods,allthemoresoasBritainhadmadeasettlement

onthatbasis.MFNstatusandtheLend‐Leasedebtbecamelinked,thoughthe

discussionsremaine dinconclusiveinearly1972.TheUnitedStatesaskedfor$800

milliontosettlethematter;theSovietsoffered$300million.Theyindicatedalso

aninterestinpurchasinggrain—thoughtheyplayedtheircardssoskillfullyand

closetothechestthatwedidnotbecomeawareofthecriticalnatureoftheir

needsuntilmuchtoolate.



ThethirdandfinalobstaclefacedbyMauryStanswaslinkage:theWhite

House’sdeterminationtohavetradefollowpoliticalprogressandnotprecedeit.

NixonandIagreedthatitwasbesttoproceeddeliberatelyongrainsales(by

delayingatriptoMoscowbySecretaryofAgricultureEarlButzuntilApril).We

wouldmakeaLend‐LeasesettlementaprerequisiteforMFN.Wewouldholdoff

onthejointexploitationofnaturalresources,suchasSiberiannaturalgas,until

aftertheVietnamwarended.Wewould,inshort,makeeconomic relations

dependonsomede monstratedprogressonmattersofforeignpolicyimportance

totheUnitedStates.



ItproveddifficulttoconvinceStansofthewisdomofthiscourse.Thebasic

issuewas,asItoldhim,“whetherwewillusethemortheywilluseus.”He

resistedthis;tohimtradewasagoodinitself;bydefinitionitinvolvedmutual

benefit.AconservativeRepublican,hejoinedthechorusofliberalcriticswho

continuedtodisparageallbarrierstoUS‐Soviettradeasoutdatedrelicsofthe

ColdWarandwhodenouncedlinkageasaperverseobstacletotherelaxationof

tensions.AtregularintervalsMaurywouldimploremetolengthentheshortleash

onwhichhewasoperating.Whenwestucktoourpolicy,hisassociateswould

complaintothepressorelseStanswouldtellDobryninthattheWhiteHousewas

therealobstacletoexpandedtrade.Thisunintentionallyconferredcredibilityon

ourstrategy.DobryninwassophisticatedenoughinAmericanwaystotakeinhis

stridethephenomenonofaCabinetofficercomplainingtoaCommunist

ambassadoraboutthepoliticalrestrictionsunderwhichhewaslaboring.But,as

Dobryninexplainedittome,Moscowsaw Stans’sfervoraspartofadeliberate,

cleverdesign.WhatStansintendedasevidenceofhisperso nalgoodwillwas

interpretedinMoscow—whereitwasassumedtobeorchestratedfrommy

office—asaparticularlysubtleformofpoliticalpressure.



Allthesestrandsofpolicy,manyoftheminterwoven,wouldbetestedon

mytriptoMoscow.Butovershadowingthemall,whenthetimecamefor

departure,wastheoffensive launchedonMarch30bytheNorthVietnamese

army.CouldtheSovietUnionbeinducedtopressureitsclient,forthesakeofthe

summit?OrwereweourselvesindangerofbeingmanipulatedbytheSoviet

UnionsothatwewouldhesitateinrespondingmilitarilytoNorthVietnam’s

challenges?Nixon,asIhavedescribed,hadbecomevisiblyanxiousintheweek’s

intervalbetweentheApril12decisionthatIshouldgoandmydeparture.He

worriedthattheSovietswouldstallonVietnamandtherebyinhibitourreaction.I

thoughttheoppositemorelikely:thattheimminenceofasummitcouldbeused

asabrakeonSovietresponsesandthusseparateHanoiandMoscow.



BeforeIleft,Nixongavemehisfamiliarinstructionstotakeahardline.This

wasnotunusual;itaccompaniedmydepartureforeverynegotiation.Norinthis

casediditconflictwithmyownviews.NowthatHanoihadcommitteditsentire

armytotheoffensive,Istronglyfavoredbringingmatterstoahead.Iwas

convincedthatnegotiationswereinevitableonceHanoi’soffensivewasblunted.

Ontheotherhand,IdidnotthinkMoscowcouldhaltthewarbyukase,orbe

expectedtoturnopenlyagainstitsally.Thededicatedrevolutionarie sinHanoi

hadfoughtalltheirlives;bynowtheyhadaccumulatedenoughsuppliestosee

theoffensivethroughregardlessofpressuresfromMoscow.Theyhadstakedthe

war’soutcomeonitssuccess;itwasnowtoolateforMoscowtoorderthemto

stop.ItwasuptotheSouthVietnamese—andtheUnitedStates—totakethe

stepsnecessarytodefeatit.Moscowcouldnotactasoursurrogate,thoughits

acquiescenceinourreactionwouldeaseourjob.



IpresentedmyproposedstrategytoNixoninamemorandum.Iwould

makecleartoMoscow,Iwrote,that“youintendtodowhatisnecessarymilitarily

tostoptheCommunistoffensiveandinthatsensearepreparedtosubordinate

yourrelationshipwiththeUSSRtotheimmediaterequirementsoftheVietnam

situation.”IsaidthatIwouldinsistondiscussingVietnam“beforeweturntothe

summit‐relatedsubstantiveissuesofUS‐Sovietrelations.”IwouldasktheNorth

Vietnameseto



desistfromtheirinvasionacrosstheDMZ;topullbacktoNorthVietnamthethreeNVA

divisions,accompanyingarmor,artilleryandanti‐aircraftequipmentinvolvedinthatinvasion;

andtofullyrestorethe1968understandings,includingcompleterespectfortheDMZandno

shellingattacksonmajorSouthVietnamesecities.



Ifthisisagreedand,asitisbeingimplemented,wewillcorrespondinglyreduceourair

andnavalbombardmentsagainsttheDRVandceasethemcompletelywhentheforegoinghas

beenaccomplished.



TheSoviets’incentive,accordingtomymemorandum,layintheiroverall

relationshipwithus:



TheSovietsmustbearconsiderableresponsibilityfortheCommunistoffensivein

Vietnamandweshouldthereforenotbeexpectedto“reward”themforusingtheirinfluenceto

bringaboutdeescalation.Nevertheless,themostpromisingtacticforimplementingthegeneral

strategywillprobablybetoholdouttoBrezhnevtheprospectofabroadimprovementin

relationswithus.



Inotherwords,acarrotandastick.Wewouldnotshyawayfromthe

militarymeasuresnecessarytodefeatHanoi’s offensive,whateverthe

embarrassmentthiswouldcausetheSovietUnion,whatevertherisktoour

relationshipwithMoscow,andinthefaceofthepredictabledomesticoutcry.At

thesametime,wewouldputbeforetheSovietleadersthecarrotofsubstantial

progressinUS‐Sovietrelations.IexplainedtoNixonthepositionsIwouldtakeon

suchissuesasSALT,Europeansecurity,andthecommuniquéconcludinghisvisit.I

wouldlinkeconomicrelationstopoliticalprogress,includingSoviethelpon

Vietnam.



Nixoninitialedhisapprovalofmymemorandum,adding“OK—asmodified

byRNoralinstructions.”Afulleraccountoftheseoralinstructionswillhaveto

awaitreleaseoftherelevantNixontaperecordings.Myonlysourceisthe

handwrittennotesIjotteddownontheyellowpadthatwas standardequipment

intheOvalOffice.Accordingtothesenotes,myinstructionswerenotfreeof

Nixon’scustomaryhyperbole.IwastostressthattheSovietUnionandtheUnited

Stateswerethetwonationswiththegreatestresponsibilityforinternational

peace.Thesummithadthepotentialof beingthemostimportantdiplomatic

encounter“ofthiscentury.”Itwasindispensabletohave“progress”onVietnam

bythetimeofthesummit.Mynotesalsocontainedthedetailedcharacterization

ofNixonthatIshouldgivetoBrezhnev:“direct,honest,strong…fatalistic—tohim

election[is]notkey.Willnotbeaffectedoneiota bypublicopinion.Noother

PresidentcouldmakeSALTagreementwhilewarisstillgoingon.”Ontheother

hand,therewouldbeCongressionaloppositiontoeconomicdealsunlessprogre ss

wasmadeonVietnam.IshouldexpressthePresident’spersonalrespectfor

Brezhnev.InthecommuniquéIwastoemphasizetheneedforasinglest andard;

wecouldnotacceptthepropositionthattheSovietUnionhadtherightto

supportliberationmovementsallovertheworldwhileinsistingontheBrezhnev

Doctrineinsidethesatelliteorbit.



Nixon’soralcommentswereforthemostpartelaborationsofthebasic

strategyinmypaper.Whateverdifferencesexistedwerenotexplicitin,anddid

notarisefrom,theconversationswithme—thesewereessentiallyidenticalwith

thewordsthathadsentmeoffonotherjourneys.Butanimportantdifferencein

emphasiswassoontobecomeevident.



Itbegantoemerge,infact,whenIwasontheplaneheadingforMoscow . 

Forthefirsttime,therehadobviouslybeennocompletemeetingofminds

betweenusonthestrategyforanimportantnegotiation.Nixoncabledthe

aircraftthatonreflectionhehadbecomeconvincedthatIshouldgoimmediately

tothesubjectofVietnamandnotpermitBrezhnevtofilibuster.Ishouldstickto

thatsubjectuntilBrezhnevandIhadreached“somesortofunderstanding.”

Nixonsaidhefeltthatmytripwouldbeconsideredafailurebyourcriticsif

Moscowkeptupitspostureofall‐outpublicsupportforHanoi.“This willbemuch

morethecasewiththeSoviets,incidentally,thanwiththeChinese.Withthe

Chinese,wemadenopretenseabouthavingma deprogressonVietnam. Onthe

otherhand,withtheSovietswearegoingtotrytoleavetheimpress ionthatwe

havemadesomeprogress.”Toavoidthedangerheurgedmetoincludeaphrase

intheannouncementofmytripstatingorimplyingthatVietnamwouldbeoneof

thepriorityitemsonthesummit agenda.Fortherest,Nixontoldmetostickto

theagreedprogramofdemandingwithdrawalacrosstheDMZoftheadditional

NorthVietnameseunitstakingpartintheoffensive,asapreconditionofour

endingthebombingofNorthVietnam.



Itwasastrangeinstruction,atoncetoosoftandtootough.AsIreadthe

cable,Ijottednotestomyselfinthemarginforareply.Itwasnotthe“pretense”

ofprogressthatweneeded,butthereality.Nixon’sinstructiontoputVietnam

publiclyonthesummitagendaseemedtome“toodilatory.”Suchan

announcementwouldmakeitdifficultforustoretaliateagainstHanoiuntilthe

summitwasconcluded.IcabledbacktohimviaHaig:“Idonotthinkitisagood

ideatohaveastatementwhichdefersVietnamtothesummitagenda.Wenow 

havemaximummomentumandHanoiforthefirsttimeinthewarisbackingoff.

Also,thesummitisoneofourbestbargainingcounters.Wethereforemustget

someconcreteresultsnow.”



Nixonquicklycabledbackhisconcurrenceandthedifficultyseemedto

recede.Butnotforlong.



<<Contents>>



****



LeonidBrezhnev



yfirstmeetingwithBrezhnevwasscheduledforeleveno’clockinthe

morningofApril21.Dobryninpaidmeapreliminaryvisittomakesurethat

everythingwasontrack.Dobryninwas,Iamconvinced,sincerelydedicatedtothe

improvementofUS‐Sovietrelations;hewaseagerthatnothingunforeseen

shouldderailtheproductofhisdevotedlabors.Hewasclearlyunsureofhowhis

GeneralSecretary,withlimitedexperienceinforeignpolicyandregularcontact

withforeignleadersonlyinthelasttwoyears,wouldconducthimself.



Dobrynin’snervousnessprovedunjustified.LeonidBrezhnevwasawaiting

usinthelargestguesthouseofthecomplexofvillaswherewewerestaying.

FlankedbyGromykoandDobrynin,withhisaideAndreiAleksandrovhovering

unobtrusivelyastepbehind,thesuccessortoLenin,Stalin,and Khrushchev

welcomedmeebulliently.Obviouslytornbetweentheadvicehemusthave

receivedtobehavediscreetlyandhisowngregariousimpulse,healternated

betweenpummelingmeandwearingagravemien.Hetookmeintoadining

roomwherethetablehadbeencovere dwithgreenbaizetoconnotethat

negotiationswouldbetakingplace.Ithankedhim forthewarmthofthe

welcome.Brezhnevjokedthattheyhope dtomakemefeelwarmerstill.Iasked

whetherthiswasathreatorapleasantprospect.BrezhnevrepliedthattheSoviet

Uniondidnotbelieveinthreats—awelcomepieceofinformationthatstruckme

asnew.



Withinthespaceoftwomonths,then,Ihadcomefacetofacewiththe

powerfulheadsofbothCommunistgiants.Brezhnevcouldnothavebeenmore

differentfromtheChinese.Bothsetsofleadersguidedvastcountriesthathad

oftenbeenthesubjectofforeigninvasions.Butculture,history,andpersonal

experiencecombinedtoproducevividlycontrastingpersonalitiesandstyles.Mao

Tse‐tungandChouEn‐lairepresentedasocietywiththelongestuninterrupted

experienceintheartofgovernment,anationthathadalwaysbeenculturally

preeminentinitsregion.Chinahadabsorbedconquerorsandhadprovedits

inwardstrengthbyimposingitssocialandintellectualstyleonthem.Itsleaders

werealoof,self‐assured,composed.Brezhnevrepresenteda nationthathad

survivednotbycivilizingitsconquerorsbutbyoutlastingthem,apeople

suspendedbetweenEuropeandAsiaandnotwhollyofeither,withaculturethat

haddestroyeditstraditionswithoutyetentirelyreplacingthem.Hesoughtto

obscurehislackofassurancebyboisterousness,andhissenseoflatent

inadequacybyoccasionalbullying.



AppearancesmeantalottoBrezhnev.Onmysecretvisit,hearrangedwith

greatprideatourofthespaciousandelegantTsars’ApartmentsintheKremlin

whereNixonwouldlive,obviouslyexpectingapproval;suchanactioncouldnot

conceivablyhavecomefromaChineseleader.Alongthecorridormarble

pedestalsbearinghugevasesstoodbetweeneverytwowindows.Allthevases

weredrapedexceptone,whichwasshowntomeasanexampleofthehighpolish

thatpatientlaborshadachieved;theshroudswouldstayontopreservethe

sheen,itwasexplained,untilanhourbeforeNixon’sarrival.Allthissuggestedan

uneasy,quitetouching,meldofdefensivenessandvulnerabilitysomewhatoutof

keepingwiththeassertivepersonalstyle.AtthispointthepersonalitiesofNixon

andBrezhnevintersected.



Tobesure,noonereachedthetopofaCommunisthierarchyexceptby

ruthlessness.YetthecharmoftheChineseleadersobscuredthatquality,while

Brezhnev’sgruffheavy‐handednesstendedtoemphasizeit.TheChineseeven

amidthegreatestcordialitykepttheirdistance.Brezhnev,whohadphysical

magnetism,crowdedhisinterlocutor.Hechangedmoodsrapidlyandworehis

emotionsopenly.Thesecontrasting stylesseemedalsotobereflectedinChinese

andRussianfood.Chinesecuisineisdelicate,meticulous,andinfinitelyvaried.

Russianmealsareheavy,straightforward,predictable.OneeatsChinesefood

gracefullywithchopsticks;onecouldeatmostRussianfoodwithone’shands.

OnewalksawayfromaChinesemealsatisfiedbutnotsatiated,andlooking

forwardtothenextexperience.AfteraRussianmealoneisstuffed;onecan

barelyfacetheprospectofthenextround.



TheChineseleaderswhomwefirstmethadmadetheirownrevolution.

MaoandChouhadthemselveslaunchedwhattheysawasanewepochinhistory.

Brezhnevwasalreadythefourthintherevolutionarysuccession—asmallnumber

comparedwithWesterncountries,butstillenoughtoplacehiminalong

tradition.TheChinesedrewinspirationfromtheirheroicpersonalexperiences,

especiallythelegendaryLongMarch.Brezhnevandhiscolleagues’longmarches

hadbeenthroughsavageinfightingandbureaucraticjockeyingwithina 

Communistsystem.Theirlifetimeshadbeenspentclawingtheirwaytothetop

andpushingaside(orputtingaway)formidablefellowMarxists.Inthevarious

successionsstrategicvisionmayhavebecomeimpaired,buttacticalskillhadbeen

sharpened.



ThefactthatinsixtyyearstherehadbeenonlyfourSovietleaderstells

muchabouttheSovietsystem—ormaybeanyCommunistone(althoughthe

Sovietshavelivedwiththeproblemlongest).NoCommuniststatehassolvedthe

problemofregularsuccession.Everyleaderdiesinoffice,orisreplacedby

couplikeprocedures.Honorificretirementisrareandnonexistentforthe

supremeleader.NoSovietleader’sreputation,exceptLenin’s,hassurvivedhis

death.IneveryCommuniststatealeadershipgroupseizepower,growold

together,andareeventuallyreplacedbysuccessorswhoseabilitytoreachthe

pinnacledependsontheirskillinmaskingtheirambitions.Theyliveuncertainly

onthewaytothetop,andtheyareawareofimpermanencewhentheyhave

supremepower—fortheyknowthattheywillprobablybedeniedbytheir

successorstheaccoladeofhistory, whichistheincentiveofmoststatesmen.Inan

ultimateparadoxthepoliticalsystembasedonhistoricaltruthdenieshistorical

significancetoitsvotaries.Theygainalongtenureinofficeatthepriceoffinal

oblivion.



LeonidBrezhnev,whenImethim,wasclearlytheleadingSovietfigure.But

equallyhewasobviouslynotyetincompletechargeandalreadywasontheverge

ofwaningphysicalpower.Duringthesummithewenttogreatlengthstoinvolve

PremierKosyginandPresidentPodgornyinthemeetings.Eveninhisfirst

encounterwithmehelefttheimpressionthathewasexpoundingtheagreed

positionofacollectivetowhichhewasundersomeobligationtoreportback.(Of

course,visiblydeprivingoneselfofflexibilityisalsoaneffectivebargaining device

thatIoccasionallyusedmyself.)Brezhnev,itseemed,hadauthoritytoadd

nuancestoanagreedposition,butcouldnotmakeradicalshiftsonhisown—as

anAmericanPresident’sauthorityandindependenceallow.Atthesametime,

Brezhnevlefttheimpressionthatifconvincedthatachangewasnecessaryhe

wouldbeabletocarrythePolitburowithhim.Astimewenton,Brezhnevgained

visiblyinauthority.After1975,however,hisdeclininghealthandlimited

attentionspanforcedhimtogiveGromykoanincreasingroleinforeignaffairs.



DuringourfirstencounterBrezhnevseemednervous,probablybecausehe

feltinsecuredealingwithseniorAmericansforthefirsttime,andpartlybecause

ofhiscopiousconsumptionoftobaccoandalcohol,hishistoryofheartdisease,

andthepressuresofhisjob.Hishandswereperpetuallyinmotion:twistinghis

watch;flickingashes fromhisever‐presentcigarette(untilhewasputonthe

regimenofalockedcigarettecasethatwouldopenonlyatpresetintervals,which

hefoundingeniouswaysto getaround);clanginghiscigaretteholderagainstan

ashtray.Hecouldnotkeepstill.Whilehisremarkswerebeingtranslatedhewould

restlesslyboundupfromhischair,walkaroundtheroom,engageinloud

conversationswithhiscolleagues,orevenleavetheroomwithoutexplanation

andthenreturn.NegotiationswithBrezhnevthusincludedthebizarrefeature

thathemightdisappearatanymoment;orwhileyouwerebeingmostpersuasive

hecouldbeconcentratingnotonyourremarksbutonforcingfoodonyou.On

oneoccasionhebroughtalongatoycannontotheconferenceroom,normally

usedformeetingsofthePolitburo.Itrefusedtofire.Makingitworkpreoccupied

himfarmorethanwhateverprofunditiesI mightbeutteringatthemoment.

Finallythecontraptionwentoffwitharoar.Brezhnevstruttedaroundtheroom

likeaprizefighterwhohasknockedouthisopponent.Negotiationsthenresumed

asanuneasytranquillitydescended,whichthoseofusbynowfamiliarwith

Brezhnevknewwouldbetemporary.



Beforehishealthdeclinedhelikedtointerrupt talkswithanecdotesof

varyingquality,occasionallybutnotinevitablygermane.Atourfirstmeeting,

tryingtostresstheimportanceofmakingmajorprogress,hetoldthistale:



Thereisastoryofatravelerwhowantstogofromoneplacetoanothervillage.Hedoes

notknowthedistance;heknowsonlytheroadandhisgoal.Heseesamanalongtheroad

choppingwood,andaskshim,howmuchtimedoesittaketogettothatvillage?The

woodsmansayshedoesn’tknow.Thetravelerissomewhatoffendedatthewoodsman,

becauseheisfromthereandsurelymustknow.Sothetravelerheadsoffdowntheroad.After

hehadtakenafewstrides,thewoodsmancallsout,“Stop.Itwilltakeyou15minutes.”“Why

didn’tyoutellmethefirsttimeIasked?”thetravelerasked.“BecausethenIdidn’tknowthe

lengthofyourstride.”



Brezhnevcitedthisbanalparabletourgemeto“takelongstrides”inthe

negotiation.



AnotherBrezhnevanecdotegivessomeoftheflavoroftheconversationat

ourfirstencounter:



BREZHNEV:ThereisananecdoteabouttheTsarwhohadbeforehimacaseofan

arrestedman.Thequestionwas,wouldhebeexecutedorpardoned?TheTsarwroteouta

pieceofpaperwithonlythreewordsonit:“Executionimpossiblepardon,”butthecommas

weremisplaced.Itshouldhaveread:“Executionimpossible,pardon.”Buttheofficialreceiving

itreaditas“execution,impossible(to)pardon.”No,thatwasn’tquiteit;actuallytheTsarwrote

itwithoutcommasandthenthelawyershadtodecidewhichhemeant.



KISSINGER:Whathappenedtotheman?



BREZHNEV:Iwilltellyouthatattheendofourdiscussions,beforeyougo.Myanswer

willdependonhowourtalksgo.

