Author Topic: Kosygin and the ASTP Summit  (Read 2221 times)

Offline Ben E

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Kosygin and the ASTP Summit
« on: 07/31/2010 02:17 pm »
Does anyone know why Alexei Kosygin signed the ASTP agreement with Richard Nixon in May 1972? Since Leonid Brezhnev was de facto head of the Soviet Union, I'm surprised that HE wasn't the main Soviet signatory.

I did read that Brezhnev (as General Secretary of the Communist Party) was effectively the USSR's ideological head, whereas Kosygin (as Premier) was its political head. Is that the reason? If so, which of the two men - Brezhnev or Kosygin - was the political equal of the US President?

Any clarification would be much appreciated.


Offline dsmillman

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Re: Kosygin and the ASTP Summit
« Reply #1 on: 07/31/2010 03:04 pm »
In the USSR the Premier was the head of government.  So the Premier would handle international agreements.  The President of the United States is 1) Head of State 2)Head of Government 3) Head of his political party.  So neither of the two was equivalent of the President.  In fact I do not believe any other democratic country has one individual in those three roles.

Offline Ben E

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Re: Kosygin and the ASTP Summit
« Reply #2 on: 07/31/2010 03:50 pm »
Many thanks.

Online Blackstar

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Re: Kosygin and the ASTP Summit
« Reply #3 on: 07/31/2010 04:10 pm »
In the USSR the Premier was the head of government.  So the Premier would handle international agreements.  The President of the United States is 1) Head of State 2)Head of Government 3) Head of his political party.  So neither of the two was equivalent of the President.  In fact I do not believe any other democratic country has one individual in those three roles.

There's an important distinction, however: the US government is not parliamentary, but divided into executive, legislative, and judicial branches.  So while the presidency has the attributes you note, "head of government" does not mean head of the legislature (or parliament), and therefore the power is limited.

Offline Jim

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Re: Kosygin and the ASTP Summit
« Reply #4 on: 07/31/2010 04:49 pm »
The president is not the head of his political party.  There is the chairman of the party.

Offline aquarius

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Re: Kosygin and the ASTP Summit
« Reply #5 on: 07/31/2010 06:07 pm »
I have no idea why that agreement was signed by Kosygin, but Nixon's counterpart was Brezhnev.

Offline brihath

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Re: Kosygin and the ASTP Summit
« Reply #6 on: 07/31/2010 08:23 pm »
Following the ouster of Nikita Khruschev in October 1964, leadership in the Soviet Union was divided among three leaders; Brezhnev, as General Secretary of the Communist Party, Anastas Mikoyan as Chairman of the Presidium, and Kosygin as Premier.  the Premier was the de jure head of State.  Kosygin participated in a summit meeting with President Johnson in Glassboro NJ in 1966 in that capacity.

Over time, Brezhnev consolidated his power and eventually moved Kosygin out of the way.  In the few years following the 1964 change of power however, Kosygin led initiatives in the international arena, and was more the face of Soviet detente with the US than Brezhnev or Foreign Minister Gromyko.

The ASTP agreement was signed during the period where Kosygin was ceded a role in international relations by Brezhnev.  At the time of the signing in 1972, Kosygin's effective power was on the wane.  I believe the major agreements between the US and USSR subsequent to that time were by either Brezhnev or Gromyko.

(edit: spelling, date)
« Last Edit: 08/01/2010 04:25 pm by brihath »

Offline Ben E

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Re: Kosygin and the ASTP Summit
« Reply #7 on: 07/31/2010 09:27 pm »
Many thanks to you all.

I knew that there was some kind of 'triumvirate' going on, but the intricacies were a mystery to me. Thanks for helping to clarify.

Offline Ben E

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Re: Kosygin and the ASTP Summit
« Reply #8 on: 08/01/2010 03:10 pm »
Sorry, one more question about this:

Why did Kosygin sign the ASTP agreement and yet it was BREZHNEV who signed the ABM treaty just two days later?

Thanks again for your clarification.

Offline brihath

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Re: Kosygin and the ASTP Summit
« Reply #9 on: 08/01/2010 04:48 pm »
Sorry, one more question about this:

Why did Kosygin sign the ASTP agreement and yet it was BREZHNEV who signed the ABM treaty just two days later?

Thanks again for your clarification.

I am not sure without checking all the facts, but there was a difference between the two.  The ASTP agreement was not a treaty, but the ABM agreement was.  As such it was subject to ratification by the Supreme Soviet.  Although Podgorny was still the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, I believe that Podgorny at the time had much less influence.  He was removed from the post in 1977 and replaced by Brezhnev.

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