Engineer Memoirs
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method of verifying the number of MIRV [multiple independent reentry vehicle]
warheads a missile can carry, the Soviets were asking us to trust them. To make
matters worse, the Soviets tried the same ploy with their SS-24 rail-mobile
ICBMs, "downloading" them from 10 to 5 warheads, while holding on to the extra
weapons.
The third major issue concerned the Soviets' refusal to exchange missile telemetry
data that the U.S. consider critical for monitoring compliance with the treaty.
Finally, there was a dispute over-how to define a "new type" missile. The Soviets
refused to agree that throw-weight, the best measure of a weapon's potential
capability, be taken into account. All of these problems were complex and difficult
to resolve. For President Bush to refer to them as merely technical was
misleading.
Q ..
Didn't the preparations for a summit begin in July 1991?
A ..
Yes. Several days prior to the opening of the opening of the G-7 economic summit
in London in July, President Bush wrote Gorbachev, asking him to send a
high-level representative to Washington who would be empowered to make
decisions on the remaining issues of START. To the utter dismay of our nego-
tiating team in Geneva, Bush provided Gorbachev with the U.S. "bottom line" on
each of the major issues. He told Gorbachev that he wanted to wrap up START
in a hurry. He also indicated the concessions he was ready to make to get an
agreement. Gorbachev was, of course, delighted with Bush's moves. He sent
Foreign Minister Bessmertnykh to meet with Secretary Baker. Under the
circumstances, it is not surprising that when Bush left for London all but one of the
issues had been resolved.
The remaining issue concerned how to define a new type missile. The Soviets
were obviously playing to the public galleries. They wanted to build suspense to
highlight the upcoming summit meeting. At the last minute, during a luncheon
following the G-7 meetings, Bush and Gorbachev agreed to a "new type"
definition. The Soviets agreed to include throw-weight as a criterion, even though
the throw-weight could be increased by 21 percent before it would make the
missile a "new type." The two leaders declared that the last obstacle to START
had been overcome and that the treaty would be initialed at a Moscow summit July
29-31, 1991.
Q ..
Was START signed in late July?
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