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Turning to foreign affairs, Gorbachev declared that the Kremlin's first priority was to "strengthen in every way the fraternal friendship with our closest friends." What that might mean for Moscow's East European allies appeared to have been left intentionally vague. Since the word reform continues to be anathema in Czechoslovakia, the regime of Party Leader Gustav Husak hoped that Gorbachev would not bring about change too quickly. The pragmatic-minded Hungarians, on the other hand, welcomed Gorbachev as a potential reformer, sympathetic to the economic experiments that have given Hungary the highest standard of living in the East bloc. There was nothing in Gorbachev's speech, however, to indicate that he would be more tolerant than his predecessors of any East European moves toward greater independence from Moscow.
Gorbachev was unambiguous about his desire to patch up differences with China. "We would like a serious improvement of relations with the Chinese People's Republic," he said, "and believe that, given reciprocity, this is quite possible." Relations between the two Communist neighbors have grown noticeably better since First Deputy Premier Ivan Arkhipov visited China last December, the most senior Soviet official to do so in 15 years. China was represented at the funeral by Vice Premier Li Peng, 56, a technocrat typical of Peking's younger generation of leaders. A Foreign Ministry spokesman in Peking said that the Chinese government had "taken note" of Gorbachev's offer.
The General Secretary also underlined the Kremlin's ongoing commitment to Third World revolutionary groups. "The Soviet Union has always supported the struggle of peoples for liberation from colonial oppression," he said. Gorbachev joined later with one Third World friend, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega Saavedra, to "vigorously condemn U.S. interference" in Latin America. Moscow's closest ally in that region was absent from the funeral. Cuban President Fidel Castro sent his brother Raul in his place, fueling speculation of a possible squabble between Havana and Moscow over Soviet economic assistance.
In the global view, the most interesting passage of the speech dealt with Gorbachev's views on East-West relations and arms control. Said he: "To good will the Soviet Union will always respond with goodwill, as it will respond with trust to trust." Moscow, he declared, "valued" the successes of detente and was prepared to continue the process. He repeated Soviet offers to freeze nuclear arsenals, but went on to say that "we want a real and major reduction of the arms stockpiles and not the development of ever new weapons systems, be it in space or on earth," and called on the Kremlin's negotiating "partners" to respond in kind.
Then came the tough talk. The Soviet Union, warned Gorbachev, was prepared to meet any attack with a "crushing retaliatory strike." Tipping his hat to the military, he said that "our glorious armed forces will have, in (the) future as well, everything necessary for that."