Malta Summit

Malta Summit. The Malta Summit was an informal diplomatic meeting held aboard the Soviet cruise ship ''Maxim Gorky'' and the U.S. Navy command ship USS ''Belknap'' off the coast of Marsaxlokk, Malta. Convened on December 2–3, 1989, between U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, it occurred during a period of dramatic upheaval in the Eastern Bloc, including the recent fall of the Berlin Wall. The talks, held in the neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea, are widely regarded as symbolically ending the Cold War, though no formal treaties were signed.

Background and context

The summit was the first meeting between the two leaders following Bush's inauguration and occurred amidst the rapid implementation of Gorbachev's reform policies of glasnost and perestroika. These policies had accelerated political changes across Central and Eastern Europe, leading to the Revolutions of 1989. Key events immediately preceding the talks included the Peaceful Revolution in East Germany and the dismantling of the Iron Curtain in Hungary. The Bush administration, initially cautious, sought to assess Gorbachev's intentions and stability, while the Soviet leadership desired Western economic assistance and recognition of its non-interventionist stance. The location was chosen for its neutrality, avoiding the formal settings of previous summits like the Geneva Summit or the Reykjavík Summit.

The summit

The meetings were conducted in severe weather, with high seas forcing the cancellation of some planned sessions and adding a literal storm to the metaphorical political whirlwind. Discussions were held in various settings, including aboard the Soviet ship and the American vessel, emphasizing the informal "no neckties" nature of the encounter. Key conversations addressed the stunning transformations in Europe, particularly the situation in East Germany and Romania. Bush and Gorbachev, accompanied by key advisors like Secretary of State James Baker and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze, engaged in over ten hours of wide-ranging talks. The dialogue covered arms control, regional conflicts in Central America and Afghanistan, and the future of Germany.

Agreements and outcomes

While producing no signed documents, the summit yielded several important tacit understandings and set the agenda for future formal negotiations. Both leaders declared the Cold War to be over, with Bush stating the United States and the Soviet Union could "begin a lasting peace" and Gorbachev proclaiming the world was "leaving one epoch and entering another." They agreed to accelerate work on the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and a Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty. Bush offered economic cooperation, including support for observer status in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), while Gorbachev assured non-interference in Eastern Europe. Specific discussions also touched on Lithuania and mutual reductions in chemical weapons.

Significance and legacy

The Malta Summit is historically pivotal as the symbolic end of the four-decade-long Cold War, effectively ratifying the revolutionary changes occurring on the ground in Europe. It established a personal rapport between Bush and Gorbachev that facilitated subsequent cooperation during the Gulf War and the final dissolution of the Soviet Union. The agreements paved the way for the signing of the CFE Treaty in 1990 and the START I treaty in 1991. The event marked a definitive shift from the adversarial posture of earlier eras, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis or the rhetoric of the Reagan Doctrine, to a partnership in managing a new world order. Its legacy is enshrined as the moment the post-World War II division of Europe was peacefully consigned to history. Category:1989 in Malta Category:Cold War conferences Category:December 1989 events