| "There
are few subordinates better placed to describe the amazing turn in
Soviet foreign policy between 1985 and 1991 than Pavel Palazchenko.
. . . He has produced a solid, reliable account . . . that will be
important supplementary reading for future historians and students
of the Cold War."-Washington Post Book World
"The historical record is fortunate that a man as gifted and capable
as Pavel Palazchenko served as interpreter for Gorbachev and Shevardnadze
from 1985 through the fall of the Soviet Union. His is a keen mind,
and his recollections and observations add to our understanding
of those crucial years."-James A. Baker, III, 61st U.S. Secretary
of State
"Palazchenko was always more than a gifted interpreter, and his
book is thereby an especially revealing account of pivotal events
and pivotal people. A compelling read."-George P. Shultz, 60th U.S.
Secretary of State
"The memoirs of Pavel Palazchenko are remarkably revealing-not
in the sense of sensational new disclosures, but in the re-creation
of the thinking and decisions of the Soviet leaders, in particular
illuminating their relationships with Presidents Ronald Reagan and
George Bush and Secretaries of State George Shultz and James Baker.
It is a straightforward account by a keen observer at closest hand,
full of insight, and makes a real contribution to understanding
the history of these crucial final years of the Cold War and of
the collapse of the Soviet Union. It is, as well, well-written and
a pleasure to read."-Raymond L. Garthoff, The Brookings Institution
As the principal English interpreter for Mikhail Gorbachev and
his foreign minister, Eduard Shevardnadze, in the critical period
of 1985-1991, Pavel Palazchenko participated in all U.S.-Soviet
summit talks leading to the end of the Cold War. This personal and
political memoir sheds new light on Soviet/American relations and
personalities during that time.
Palazchenko focuses on what he saw with his own eyes during important
negotiating sessions with world leaders such as Presidents Ronald
Reagan and George Bush, Secretaries of State George Shultz and James
Baker, and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He shares his impressions
and opinions about these leaders as well as their Soviet counterparts
and gives a first-hand account of the phase of preparation leading
up to important international events, including the process of hammering
out positions on sensitive arms control issues. Palazchenko describes
the events themselves, such as the summits in Reykjavik, Malta,
and Moscow, adding many fascinating details to previous accounts.
Palazchenko contends that the peaceful end of the Cold War was
possible not because of some behind-the-scenes dealings, but because
of the trust that gradually developed between world leaders. He
shows us how this developing trust led to the remarkably peaceful
transition from the dangerous pre-1985 confrontation to the new
relationships between major powers. This book sheds light on Soviet
thinking about Soviet/U.S. relations, the Third World, arms control,
German reunification, and the Gulf War. It also provides an insider's
view of domestic politics and policy during Gorbachev's last year
in power and Soviet developments leading up to the collapse of the
USSR. |
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