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Describe The Relationship Between Reagan And Gorbachev's

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President Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev historical meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland in early Oct of 1986 did not immediately achieve the end state both parties desired, however a pivotal moment in setting the stage for the INF treaty. Both Parties entered the strategic meeting on the surface with intentions of implementing interest-based negotiation concepts, which was not to take a specific position but concentrate on mutual interest. However, day two of the summit Gorbachev’s tries to determine what the US bottom line is by employing distributive tactics. To shape perceptions his tactic of choice was the technique of establishing claiming value. Gorbachev uses the pattern of concession, which is concede early on with large early concessions, and then press quickly with smaller concessions to shape his walk away position (Watkins, 4). …show more content…

However, the Cold War had shaped perceptional behaviors and violation of treaties by the Soviet Union instilled suspicion issues of mistrust by both institutions. This institutional trust issue was a major hurdle in building a cohesive relationship between the two entities and severely compromised the interior circle elements: interests, options, and legitimacy in the negotiating process. Both parties shared mutual interest, which was the elimination of all nuclear weapons by 2020, however underlying interest from both parties hampered the overall outcome of the summit. Reagan underlying interest were human rights and the invasion of Afghanistan, Gorbachev’s was to prevent the development and implementing strategic defenses (SDI) the next ten years using the ABM treaty as an objective

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