January 6, 1984
Today I met with Ambassador James E. Goodby, the Chief of the United States Delegation to the Conference on Confidence and Security Building Measures and Disarmament in Europe, generally known as the CDE. This new conference involves the United States, Canada, and 33 nations of Western and Eastern Europe. It is part of the East-West dialog growing out of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), which produced the Helsinki accords of 1975.
Secretary of State Shultz joined us today. He and other NATO Foreign Ministers will participate in the CDE opening session in Stockholm on January 17. Their presence will underline the importance which the West attaches to the CDE and to a productive East-West dialog.
I reviewed with Ambassador Goodby the instructions to the U.S. delegation and gave my final approval. I emphasized to him my strong support for the Western objectives at CDE of reducing the risk of surprise attack in Europe and of inhibiting the use of arms for war or intimidation.
The strength and unity of the West have preserved the peace in Europe since World War II, and Western diplomacy in the ``Helsinki process'' has been crucial in advancing the East-West dialog. All of us wish Ambassador Goodby and his European and Canadian counterparts success and Godspeed in carrying forward this vital undertaking.