I was quick to point out that signing the INF treaty did not mean that peace was
about to break out all over. I emphasized that I continued to favor a START
treaty, provided it would be equitable and effectively verifiable.
Q ..
After President Bush was elected, what did you learn about your permanent status?
A ..
I heard sometime in April that Paul Nitze, who had also been asked to stay on until
further notice, was asked by Secretary Baker to become an "advisor emeritus?
Nitze would not remain in government, but would be called upon from time to time
to give advice. He turned this down and submitted his resignation. I wondered
what they had in store for me. Several weeks later I got a call asking if I would
stay on indefinitely in my current position. I talked this offer over with several
White House officials. I also spoke to Larry Eagleburger, Baker's deputy, and
with Brent Scowcroft, President Bush's national security advisor. I learned that
President Bush and Secretary Baker wanted me to stay on. I didn't answer them
right away because I had lined up a job to teach at George Washington University.
I was reluctant to stay on because President Bush let it be known that he would
deal with an overall set of advisors, and that my views would be transmitted to him
not personally, but in writing. But I decided I would have a role to play, although
limited, in giving the negotiations some continuity. I knew the issues, knew the
Soviets, and knew the players on our side. Since I thought I could make a
contribution, I decided to stay on.
Because of the long clearance process, it was not until Friday, June 16, 1989, that
the White House made its official announcement that the President had appointed
me to remain as special advisor to the Secretary of States and the President for
arms control matters.
In the meantime, I had attended the first substantative meeting that Secretary Baker
had with Foreign Minister Shevardnadze in Moscow. Following that meeting I
traveled once again to debrief our Asian allies and friends on the talks. Actually,
I was the last U.S. official in Beijing at the time the students were demonstrating.
I left China the day that Gorbachev arrived for his official visit. Several days later
the shooting occurred in Tianinen Square.
In early June, after the NATO summit, President Bush sent me to Mexico and
Brazil to debrief officials there. I had an hour-long meeting with the President of
Mexico and another hour with his foreign minister. I also met with congressional
groups and people from other walks of life. I repeated the same pattern in Brazil.
On this first trip to Brazil I didn't see the president-the highest man I saw there
was the foreign minister. As in Mexico they were grateful to learn about what
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