Word: agreements
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Dates: during 1990-1990
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...agreement between the Soviet Union and the U.S. that will allow 30,000 more American troops than Soviet ones to be stationed in Europe was announced last week in what has become standard fashion in the fast-moving Gorbachev era: a casual aside. During a discussion about German unification in Ottawa, Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze interrupted himself, looked across the table at U.S. Secretary of State James Baker and said, "Oh, by the way." Shevardnadze then proceeded to report that Moscow had approved George Bush's plan that would permit the two superpowers to maintain 195,000 troops each...
...Europe would thus require greater effort by Washington than by Moscow. Most U.S. analysts read the Soviet stand-down as one more sign that Gorbachev wants to reach a quick -- and successful -- end to the year-old Conventional Forces in Europe negotiations. "They are desperate for a CFE agreement," said a senior Administration official. "It's a matter of economic life or death." Some observers in the East speculated less charitably that the Soviet leader wanted to cut a troop deal to camouflage the impending eviction of Soviet forces from several Warsaw Pact nations...
...Even before the issue of force levels was settled, U.S. and Soviet negotiators had reached agreement on the number of tanks each side would be permitted: 20,000. The treaty calls not merely for the withdrawal of both sides' tanks over and above that level but for their destruction -- 10,000 by the U.S. and 40,000 by the Soviets. Negotiators have narrowed, but not closed, the gap between the proposed ceilings on artillery; the U.S. has suggested a figure of 16,500 pieces, while the Soviets have weighed in with one of 20,000. Says a senior U.S. negotiator...
...eventual treaty signed by all producer nations banning the development, manufacture or use of such weapons and promising to destroy existing stocks. In the meantime, the U.S. and the Soviet Union plan to negotiate a treaty between themselves calling for the destruction of most of their chemical weapons. This agreement could also be ready in time for summit signing...
OPEN SKIES. Based on an Eisenhower-era proposal that Bush resurrected last May, the proposed agreement would allow unarmed aircraft from any NATO or Warsaw Pact country to overfly the other side's territory. The purpose is to observe military activity and installations. Detractors of the Open Skies concept point out that the agreement provides for a notification period of 16 hours, affording ample opportunity for the concealment of many kinds of mischief. But the proposal is viewed as a useful confidence-building device by all 23 nations involved. Negotiators hope to have a document ready for signing...