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1989 Feb 1 - 1989 May 31
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/2873
Soviet Union (UK/Soviet relations: internal situation) (Part 12)

Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2018 Jul 24
Classification: Top Secret - Cab One
Page count: 361
Any docs withheld?

PREM19/2873 - download whole file (PDF, 68.97 MB)

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Showing items 1 - 20 of 71

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Date Value Title
89 Feb 1 We Major Soviet Union: UKE Moscow telegram 185 to FCO (1355Z) ("Meeting with Alexander Yakovlev") [Ambassador Braithwaite introductory call on Yakovlev: agenda for forthcoming Gorbachev visit to UK] [released Jul 2018]
89 Feb 7 Tu Major Soviet Union: Cradock minute to MT ("Soviet Internal Situation") ["indications of internal opposition to perestroika and increasing gloom among Soviet leaders... in general the economy is in such a mess that whatever course of action is taken, matters are only likely to get worse before they can get better"] [released Jul 2018]
89 Feb 13 Mo Major Soviet Union: President Gorbachev letter to MT (earthquake in Armenia) [thanks for UK assistance; UK/Soviet relations] [released Jul 2018]
89 Feb 14 Tu Major Soviet Union: Percy Cradock minute to Charles Powell ("Soviet Internal Situation") [recent article in Soviet journal "the most outspoken yet in its attack on the Soviet Communist Party and to some extent on Gorbachev himself"] [released Jul 2018]
89 Feb 16 Th Major Soviet Union: Lord Young minute to MT ("Our Relations with the Russians") [brings to MT's attention an attached minute from Alan Clark, reporting on his meetings with three senior East European government figures, each of which, Clark notes, "expressed their anxieties... recklessly"] [released Jul 2018]
89 Feb 17 Fr Major Soviet Union: Rodney Leach of Matheson & Co. Ltd. letter to William Waldegrave (HMG advice to Soviet Union on economic reform) [thoughts on reform of the Soviet system; Charles Powell to MT: "A fascinating letter"] [released Jul 2018]
89 Feb 17 Fr Minor Soviet Union: Cabinet Office Telecommunications Secretariat minute to John Weston ("'Hot Line' Communications") [article in Soviet magazine, about US/USSR system, similar to new UK/USSR system due to be implemented] [released Jul 2018]
89 Feb 23 Th Major Soviet Union: UKE Moscow telegram 338 to FCO (1349Z) ("Visit of Korotich") [editor of "most adventurous and talked-about magazine" in Russia; character analysis & background in advance of MT interview] [released Jul 2018]
89 Feb 24 Fr Major Soviet Union: No.10 briefing for MT (Prime Minister's interview by Korotich, Editor of 'Ogonyok' magazine) [Charles Powell advises against proposed FCO agenda focused on UK/Soviet relations: "talk much more about your own philosophy and how you are implementing it in this country"] [released Jul 2018]
89 Feb 24 Fr Major Soviet Union: MT letter to Stefan Terlezki MP (Glasnost, Perestroika and the legacy of Lenin) [response to Terlezki's critique of the Gorbachev regime] [released Jul 2018]
89 Feb 28 Tu Major Soviet Union: Chairman of the Committee for a Free Britain letter to Howe ('Making Sense of Gorbachev') [invitation to CFB media briefing in advance of Gorbachev's visit to UK] [released Jul 2018]
89 Mar 3 Fr Major Soviet Union: Howe PS letter to No.10 ("British Week in Kiev, 1990: Royal Involvement") [case for Royal participation, and a June date to accommodate English National Opera Company; proposal that MT should attend, and meet with Gorbachev] [released Jul 2018]
89 Mar 6 Mo Major Soviet Union: No.10 record of conversation (MT, Vavilov, Charles Powell) [introductory chat] [released Jul 2018]
89 Mar 8 We Major Soviet Union: Howe minute to MT ("Our Relations with the Russians") [assessment of scope for UK advice & assistance, in advance of Gorbachev's visit to the UK] [released Jul 2018]
89 Mar 8 We Major Soviet Union: Howe minute to John MacGregor ("Possible Sale of UK Grain to the USSR") [welcomes proposal in principle, but sounds two notes of caution] [released Jul 2018]
89 Mar 8 We Major Soviet Union: UKE Moscow telegram 420 to FCO (0930Z) ("Unusual Activity in Moscow") ["I am reporting these events... not (in themselves) a reason for alarm... but I think it worth keeping our ears close to the ground"] [released Jul 2018]
89 Mar 10 Fr Major Soviet Union: Howe minute to Younger ("Defence Contacts with the Soviet Union") [progress on resumption] [released Jul 2018]
89 Mar 18 Sa Major Soviet Union: UKE Moscow telegram 476 to FCO (0946Z) ("Soviet Union: CC Plenum on Agriculture: Concluding Remarks") [Gorbachev speech] [released Jul 2018]
89 Mar 22 We Major Soviet Union: Howe PS letter to No.10 (Prime Minister's interview by Korotich, Editor of 'Ogonyok' magazine) [copy of published interview] [released Jul 2018]
89 Mar 28 Tu Major Soviet Union: UKE Moscow telegram 527 to FCO (1156Z) ("Preliminary Soviet Election Results: First Thoughts") [released Jul 2018]