The timing was astute. While Washington chose to go slow on Middle East diplomacy, Moscow accelerated its activity. Last week Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze was on a ten-day sally through five countries, leaving deep tracks everywhere he touched down.
At his first stop, in Syria, Shevardnadze unveiled a three-step proposal to convene an international Middle East peace conference under the auspices of the United Nations. He took the plan to Jordan and Egypt for an approving welcome. And before proceeding on to Iran and Iraq, Shevardnadze spent four days in Cairo for a bit of showmanship that could not help...