155. Editorial Note
On May 25, 1988, President Ronald Reagan departed for Helsinki, where he spent five days preparing for the Moscow Summit. On May 27, the President delivered a speech in Finlandia Hall in which he commemorated the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, applauded General Secretary Gorbachev’s reforms, and pledged to discuss the advancement of human rights in their upcoming meeting. (Public Papers: Reagan, 1988, Book I, pages 656–661) That day, the White House released a statement praising the Senate’s ratification of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. (Ibid., page 661)
On May 28, the White House broadcast a radio address Reagan had taped on May 23 before his departure. “Through Western firmness and resolve, we concluded the historic INF treaty that provides for the global elimination of an entire class of U.S. and Soviet intermediate-range nuclear missiles. Soviet armed forces are now withdrawing from Afghanistan, an historic event that should lead finally to peace, self-determination, and healing for that long-suffering people and to an independent and undivided Afghan nation.” (Ibid., pages 671–672) The President went on to reiterate the theme of human rights and spoke of U.S. aspirations “to see positive changes in the U.S.S.R. institutionalized so that they’ll become lasting features of Soviet society.” (Ibid., page 672)
President Reagan arrived in Moscow on May 29 and participated and delivered remarks with General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev at the opening ceremony of the summit. (Ibid., pages 673–674) The following day, he spoke before religious leaders at the Danilov Monastery and declared: “There are many ties of faith that bind your country and mine. We have in America many churches, many creeds, that feel a special kinship with their fellow believers here—Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Orthodox, and Islamic. They are united with believers in this country in many ways, especially in prayer.” (Ibid., pages 674–675) Later that day, he spoke to Soviet dissidents at Spaso House. (Ibid., pages 675–676)
On May 30, in St. Vladimir’s Hall at the Grand Kremlin Palace, President Reagan followed General Secretary Gorbachev in a toast “to the work that has been done, to the work that remains to be done, and let us also toast the art of friendly persuasion, the hope of peace with freedom, the hope of holding out for a better way of settling things.” (Ibid., pages 677–680)
On May 31, the President delivered remarks at a luncheon hosted by artists and cultural leaders (Ibid., pages 681–682) as well as remarks and a question-and-answer session with students and faculty at the [Page 1044] Moscow State University (Ibid., pages 683–692) and toasts at a state dinner at Spaso House. (Ibid., 692–695) Also that day, the President accompanied General Secretary Gorbachev on a walk through Red Square. Asked whether he still believed the Soviet Union was an evil empire, Reagan responded he was talking about “another time, another era.” (“Reagan’s Words: ‛Differences Continue to Recede,’” New York Times, June 2, 1988, page A–16)
On June 1, President Reagan delivered remarks alongside Gorbachev at the exchange of documents ratifying the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. (Public Papers: Reagan, 1988, Book I, pages 696–697) The two sides also released a joint statement (Ibid., pages 697–705), and the President held a news conference. (Ibid., pages 706–713) On June 2, the President flew from Moscow to London to meet with Prime Minister Thatcher. He returned Washington the following day.