Khorosho,' Said Brezhnev

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According to a Soviet participant, Brezhnev told Carter that the Kremlin, much like the hawks in the U.S. Senate, is not entirely happy with all of SALT li's provisions, but that the treaty reflects "everything that is realistically obtainable at the present moment." On the whole, he said, it is "a mutually acceptable balance of interests." He reaffirmed the Soviet commitment to détente, saying, "It is impossible for one of us to push the other off the surface of the earth or for one of us to remodel the other."

Carter picked up the same theme at dinner that evening in the U.S. residence, a relaxed affair attended by the two leaders and their closest aides. In one of the numerous toasts with Russian vodka, the President defined the U.S. world role as "one that supports change toward greater pluralism in and among societies." Moreover, he said, "that we have the power to destroy other nations does not mean we have a right or a need to control them." Brezhnev continued to be in good humor. Imbibing freely, he told stories about hunting in Siberia and the Georgian Republic for deer, elk and rabbits. "I'm a very good shot," he boasted. His colleagues nodded in agreement, murmuring "Da, pravilno [yes, that's right]."

On Sunday morning, the Carters decided to skip Protestant services and go instead to the Catholic chapel of the Hofburg to hear the Vienna Boys Choir. The President then joined Brezhnev at the Soviet embassy for more talks on various military issues, including SALT III, the stalled negotiations on troop reductions in Europe and treaties to ban chemical warfare and all nuclear weapons tests. On parting, Brezhnev again stumbled on the embassy steps but was soon steadied by Carter and an aide.

Finally would come the last and most memorable day of the summit. On Monday morning Carter and Brezhnev were to have their first and only scheduled private meeting, at the U.S. Embassy. To be discussed were Soviet emigration policy and U.S. restrictions on Soviet goods. Both leaders would like to make a deal: freer trade for freer emigration, particularly of Soviet Jews. Next the two leaders were supposed to move on to the Soviet embassy for their fifth and last session of formal talks, again focusing on trade. From the Soviet embassy, they were to drive separately to the Redoutensaal for the summit's climactic moment. There, seated side by side, Brezhnev and Carter were to sign the SALT II agreement. First Brezhnev was to write his name on Russian and English copies of the treaty. His copies would be contained in a red binder, Carter's in a blue binder. Then it would be Carter's turn to sign. The ceremony was to be watched by about 200 dignitaries and about 250 reporters, meaning that most of the journalists in Vienna would miss the main event.