Document No. 44: Memorandum from Anatoly Chernyaev to Vadim Zagladin, February 4, 1989

After the success of the United Nations speech in December 1988, Gorbachev decides his next major audience should be Europe, and the July meeting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg becomes the chosen venue. With this memo, Chernyaev commissions Vadim Zagladin to work on a draft text, a highest-priority assignment direct from the general secretary to be handled in total secrecy. Zagladin at this time is a deputy head of the CC International Department with highly relevant experience wit...