- Title: Vatican City-Italy-Malta: Gorbachev Meets Pope John Paul And President Bush
- Date: 3rd December 1989
- Summary: Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev pledged in an historic meeting at the Vatican with Pope John Paul II on December 1 that Moscow would guarantee religious freedom for all believers. He announced the Vatican and Moscow had agreed in principle to establish diplomatic relations. It was the first meeting to take place between a Kremlin leader and a Pope. The worst winter storms to hit Malta for years dogged the first summit meeting between Gorbachev and President George Bush on December 2. A gale and high seas forced the two leaders to hold their first encounter aboard the Soviet liner Maxim Gorky, moored in a sheltered bay, instead of the Soviet missile cruiser Slava. They resumed their talks on December 3 on the Maxim Gorky, after bad weather again prevented them from using the Slava or the American cruiser Belknap. Bush said his talks with Gorbachev were 'going just fine'. He said 'We're getting something done and it's good.' Spokesmen for Bush and Gorbachev said the summit had covered all main issues including the political liberalisation of Eastern Europe.
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- Location: VATICAN CITY ITALY ROME ROMA
- Reuters ID: LDL0011PSALPB
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
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- Copyright Holder: Reuters Archive
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