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The mood Brezhnev struck during the interview was one of seriousness and sincerity. Though stating an essentially tough Soviet line, he was reaching for understanding, looking hard into the faces across from him. Only twice did he display spontaneous animation. At one point he picked up a bent paper clip, twirled it almost delicately in one large hand until all eyes were concentrating on it and then thumped the table strongly, saying, "Mir, mir, i yeshche raz mir" (peace, peace, and once again peace). Later, when Ray Cave said he hoped they would meet again at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, Brezhnev raised both arms high and, like a man who looks forward to many more years of power and pleasure in life, replied with great delight, "Absolutely!"
The interview in full:
Introduction
Gentlemen, I am glad to see you and welcome you here in Moscow. Frankly speaking, it is not in my nature to give interviews. But, given the importance of the relations between our two countries and the solid reputation of your magazine, I decided to take advantage of your request to answer TIME'S questions.
Politics is a subtle thing, and I'd like you to present my viewpoint accurately. My answers to your written questions, therefore, are in written form as well.
Unfortunately, our meeting can't be a long one. I hope you will understand that my time budget is extremely tight. I still have to hold a few conferences and talks.
It is a pleasure to meet you. I thank you for coming to Moscow from the United States to meet me, and wish you all the best.
Q. How do you evaluate the state of U.S.-Soviet relations in view of the progress toward SALT II and a possible summit meeting?
A. To begin with I should like to convey through your magazine good wishes to the American people for the new year. The extent to which this year and the years to come will be truly good and, above all, peaceful depends in many ways on our two countries. For my part, I can say that the Soviet Union will continue, as before, to act unswervingly in a spirit of cooperation and honest partnership.
You and we have entered the year 1979 with a positive head start, so to say. Work on a new agreement on the limitation of offensive strategic arms is drawing to a close, although it will obviously take some more time for the positions to be finally agreed. We trust that the principle of equality and equal security, which the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A. recognize as the starting point, will prompt correct decisions and that President Carter and I will be able in the near future to affix our signatures to the accord. The task set by life itself —to put an end to the unrestrained arms race, to ensure security for our nations and to consolidate international peace at a lower level of military confrontation—is worth the effort.