1Chernyaev’s notes of one of the first telephone calls between George Bush and Gorbachev capture the careful and noncommittal tone of the new American president with regard to the Kissinger condominium idea. “Even though Kissinger was on a personal, not on an official trip, we would like very much to hear his story. We do not always agree with him on everything …”

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3Bush: Secondly, I would like to mention with appreciation that you were very generous to give so much time to your conversation with Henry Kissinger. In a couple of days my assistant [Brent] Scowcroft will invite him to the White House in order to be informed about that conversation in detail, although we already know some details. Even though Kissinger was on a personal, not an official, trip, we would like very much to hear his story. We do not always agree with him on everything, but he visited you as a friend, and we will listen to him carefully.

4Gorbachev: Thank you. I hope you will find his story interesting. […]

5Conversation recorded by V. Sukhodrev.

6[Source: Archive of the Gorbachev Foundation, Fond 1. Opis 1. On file at the National Security Archive. Translated by Svetlana Savranskaya.]