Word: groundwork
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...later warned that "more delay would be irresponsible." On the acid rain issue, Secretary of State Alexander Haig claimed that the U.S. shared Trudeau's "concern"-an assurance that did little to allay Canada's fears. But the important thing, from the Canadian viewpoint, was the groundwork that was laid. Reagan had wanted to make a quick unofficial visit to Canada, as he did to Mexico before his Inauguration, to stress his still undefined notion of a "North American accord." Because of scheduling problems, he ended up going to Canada on his first state visit as President...
Washington remained wary, meanwhile, of Brezhnev's proposal for a summit meeting.* Though both Canada and West Germany are receptive to the idea, Haig and Reagan persuaded both countries to assent to the American view: such a meeting can occur only after a basic groundwork has been laid at lower levels, and will be contingent on Soviet actions in Afghanistan and during the Polish crisis. The Moscow "peace offensive" is seen by Washington as primarily a propaganda ploy. But Haig agreed at week's end to hold low-level talks promptly with the Soviets...
...compensation will have to await the outcome of complicated negotiations. Japanese Trade Representative Saburo Okita visited Peking last month to discuss the cancellations, and a Chinese delegation is in Tokyo this week laying the groundwork for talks. Special Chinese envoys are also expected in Bonn later this month...
...east he deftly handled a courtesy call on Mexico's President José López Portillo. Reagan's graceful approach was warmly applauded by the Mexicans, who felt that it laid a solid groundwork for a new level of friendship and cooperation between the countries when Reagan and López Portillo meet again, probably within the next six months...
...playwright's job to be more than a play-mate. He should tell us that we only live once and should therefore sleep with our best friends' wives, or let us know that it is wrong to manipulate friendships by manipulating facts. Pinter has laid the groundwork for such conclusions, but we still await them...