THE WASHINGTTON/CAMP DAVID SUMMIT 1990

[Bernice Moore]

The Washington/Camp David Summit 1990: From the Secret Soviet, American and German FilesSunday, June 13, 2010 2:43 PMFrom: "National Security Archive" <archive@GWU.EDU>Add sender to ContactsTo: NSARCHIVE@HERMES.GWU.EDUNational Security Archive Update, June 13, 2010

The Washington/Camp David Summit 1990:

From the Secret Soviet, American and German Files

Documents Show Serious Domestic Challenges to Gorbachev;

Bush Tries to Help with Trade Agreement, Not Arms Cuts

Caution in US, Reaction in Moscow Prevent Real Progress;

Summit Driven by Domestic Politics on Both Sides

For more information, contact:

Svetlana Savranskaya or Thomas Blanton - 202/994-7000 or nsarchiv@gwu.edu

http://www.nsarchive.org

Washington, DC, June 13, 2010 - The Washington summit 20 years ago this month between Presidents George H.W. Bush and Mikhail S. Gorbachev brought dramatic realization on the American side of the severe domestic political pressures facing the Soviet leader, produced an agreement in principle on trade but no breakthrough on Germany, and only slow progress towards the arms race in reverse which Gorbachev had offered, according to previously secret Soviet and U.S. documents posted today by the National Security Archive.

The largely symbolic achievements of the Washington summit memorialized in the documents contrast with subsequent published accounts claiming that the summit was a crucial turning point for German unification. The documents suggest other (non-American) points were more important, such as the March 1990 elections in East Germany, and the July 1990 meeting between Gorbachev and West German chancellor Helmut Kohl, in which Kohl offered significant financial aid and support for the Soviet troops in East Germany during a multi-year withdrawal process.

Visit the Web site of the National Security Archive for more information about today's posting.

http://www.nsarchive.org

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