A Promising Soviet Ploy

Gorbachev embraces "global double zero"

For weeks the Reagan Administration has been complaining that Soviet foot dragging at the intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) talks in Geneva reduced the odds for an agreement and for a U.S.-Soviet summit before the end of the year. But last week, in the latest in a series of unpredictable diplomatic maneuvers that began at the Reykjavik summit, Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev made another surprise shift on arms control that could get the stagnant talks moving -- and reap new propaganda victories for the Kremlin.

Gorbachev's ploy: agreeing to accept a long-standing American preference for the elimination by both sides of all...

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