Preparing for Helsinki: The CSCE Multilateral Preparatory Talks (Documents From the British Archives No. 2)

In November 1972 representatives from 35 nations gathered in Helsinki to engage in preparatory talks for a Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). This account of those talks, written by the British negotiating team, provides a glimpse into multilateral negotiation from the inside. The report details the discussions between East, West, and neutral and non-aligned participants to agree the political, military, economic and humanitarian issues for inclusion in the Conference. It discusses the tactics used by the Western allies to coordinate their efforts and achieve their objectives in the face of Soviet opposition. It also assesses the performance of the individual delegates and delegations present.

During the talks the West managed to turn plans for what the Soviets hoped would be a short conference, focusing on high level political declarations, into a three stage conference, with time for substantive discussion on new elements in the East-West dialogue; issues such as the freer movement of people, ideas and information. With the agenda and procedures fixed during the preparatory talks, the Soviets never fully regained the diplomatic initiative, despite several attempts, during the Conference proper. The talks were crucial to the success of the CSCE that followed and in shaping the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act, the high-point of detente in Europe.