Summit With Gorbachev News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Soviet leader mikhail gorbachev tonight is saying that the war in afghanistan is about to come to an end. >> today's announcement seems to be another indication of how anxious the soviets are to get out of afghanistan, out of a war they have not been able to win, out of a war that has proven too costly to continue. >> because of afghanistan, communism was no longer affordable. the idea of promoting your ideology around the world, defending its interests became too expensive. >> white house officials are thrilled at the idea that when the president arrives in moscow for a summit with gorbachev ...

But the soviet leader was more negative. >> translator: the solving of the most important problems concerning the arms race and increasing hopes of piece, we didn't succeed in this meeting. so of course there are important disagreements on matters of principle that remain between us. >> the general feeling here is that president reagan deserves credit for starting a dialogue with soviet leader gorbachev, that, in the nuclear age, any lessening of tension must be applauded. but many pronounced the summit here only a modest success because it failed to achieve any significant progress on arms co...

Didn't meet any soviet leaders. when asked about it, reagan said they keep dying on me. well, that was true, but he wasn't really making much of an effort, and there was a fear that if you don't reach out to the soviets, they are so afraid of us, they will do something stupid. >> president reagan had a change of heart. he is now much more eager to meet with the new leader of the soviet union and he has sent mikhail gorbachev a letter suggesting a summit. ♪ ♪ >> all previous summits had a communique worked out ahead of time by the two foreign ministries. here's what we say at the end, and t...

Mr. gorbachev, tear down this wall. >> it was perfect. it was beautiful. he had to insist on keeping it in the speech. and he did it. don't let anybody tell you it was a staffer or anybody else that did that. >> meanwhile, in the soviet union, gorbachev decides to do something bold and he says let's separate sdi from reducing the nuclear stockpile. once he does this, it opens up the possibility for a third summit. >> this week's summit may prove especially important, even historic. for the first time since the onset of the nuclear age, the united states and soviet union will sign a treaty actu...

Communiques. whatever comes from the summit will be what we develop while we're there. >> after 70 minutes with advisers, mr. reagan invited gorbachev to stroll the garden to the pool house where they sat alone before a fire. mr. reagan talked without notes, not about arms control but about of his personal feelings about reducing the level of fear and misunderstanding between the two nations. >> the main thing is they met each other as human beings, reagan, in particular, had concentrated his attention on gorbachev as a person. he spent more time studying gorbachev than he did the esoteric thi...