January 22, 1985
I have just met with Secretaries Shultz and Weinberger, General Vessey, Bud McFarlane, Ken Adelman, and our new arms control negotiators. I am very pleased that the three distinguished Americans who will be our representatives have agreed to serve our country in these important new arms control negotiations.
Max Kampelman, John Tower, and Mike Glitman bring to their new assignments broad experience and deep knowledge. With the strong support of Paul Nitze and Ed Rowny, I am confident that our new team will represent the United States very effectively.
I view the negotiating commitments we undertook 2 weeks ago with the Soviets in Geneva with the utmost seriousness. I have no more important goal than reducing and, ultimately, eliminating nuclear weapons. The United States will have concrete ideas to put on the negotiating table. We hope the Soviet Union will follow a similarly constructive approach.
I also want to emphasize that we are determined to achieve a good agreement -- an agreement which meets the interests of both countries, which increases the security of our allies, and which enhances international stability. Our new negotiators share this important goal. I look forward to working closely with our negotiating team in the months ahead. In this effort, I have charged Max and his colleagues with the responsibility of keeping appropriate Members of the Congress fully informed. With the patience and support of the American people, Congress, and our allies, I am confident that we will succeed.