Khorosho,' Said Brezhnev

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Bright and early Saturday, Carter jogged five laps around a garden path at the American ambassador's residence, then left for the embassy. Soon afterward, Brezhnev emerged from the Soviet embassy. He stumbled momentarily and was steadied by aides, then helped into his Zil limousine. At the U.S. Embassy he was welcomed by Carter with a grin and a handshake.

Inside the U.S. Embassy's cramped and dreary conference room, the leaders arranged themselves and their aides at either side of a gleaming 25-ft. table. Brezhnev brought with him nine aides, including Chernenko, Gromyko, Ogarkov and Ustinov; Carter was accompanied by the same number, including Brown, Brzezinski and Vance. As guest, Brezhnev led off. He put on his rimless spectacles and stolidly read aloud from his sheaf of prepared remarks. He was followed by Carter, who talked from several pages of notes handwritten on yellow legal paper. Among them was a sentence he had noted on hearing Brezhnev utter it the day before: "God will not forgive us if we fail."

The first session was scheduled for two hours but broke up after only 85 min., since the two leaders needed less time than expected to spell out their differing world views. There was also what Powell called "a good deal of back-and-forth." At one point, Brezhnev and Carter engaged in a spirited exchange over which nation is spending more for weapons. The two leaders also expressed sharply opposed views about the world's trouble spots, including who was responsible for the turbulence in the Middle East and southern Africa. Finally, Brezhnev pushed his chair back from the table and the first session was over. Said Carter curtly afterward: "A good meeting."

That afternoon Carter and Brezhnev talked 2¼ hrs. about SALT II and related arms issues. The Soviet leader objected to U.S. plans to build the MX missile, which will be movable to make it less vulnerable to attack. Said Brezhnev: "I don't understand why you're building this missile." He warned that if the missile cannot be verified by the Soviets "this will plant a mine under further negotiations." Carter replied that the missile would indeed be verifiable and therefore within the SALT II limits. The two leaders also exchanged views on the Soviet Backfire bomber, U.S. cruise missiles and the coming negotiations on SALT III. They agreed on the difficulties posed by medium-range weapons, which are not covered by SALT II but which they would like to limit.

Carter and Brezhnev seemed to get along well. The U.S. President was polite and restrained, but not as relaxed as the Soviet leader. Brezhnev hammed it up by pretending to leave the room from time to time. At one point he declared: "We think everybody is for détente and good relations except for some people." He then jokingly pointed at Vance. Everyone at the table laughed. Brzezinski, who is usually the Administration's hard-liner on Soviet policy, pointed to himself, and everyone laughed again.