During detente period → US and USSR → became open to cooperating with each other + with other less friendly countries
- began visiting each other’s countries and meeting to discuss important issues → like nuclear weapons, conflicts around world, trade, technology.
- meetings known as summit meetings → as they involved leaders of countries.
Key Summit Meetings During 1970s
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| Feb 1972 | Nixon Became First US President to visit China since it turned comm 1949 continuation of progress made in 1971 → when US table tennis team → became first group of Americans allowed to enter China → since comm takeover in 1949 |
| May 1972 | Nixon Visited Brezhnov in Mascow → sign a document called basic principles superpowers agreed to prevent dangerous exacerbation in their relations → by doing utmost to avoid military confrontations → to prevent outbreak of nuclear war + to exersise restraint in mutual relations both leaders also signed strategic arms limitation treaty (SALT I), limiting each sides production of nuclear weapons |
| June 1973 | Brezhnev visited US to sign agreement on prevention of nuclear war → in which both sides agreed to do all they could to avoid nuclear war |
| June 1974 | Nixon went to Moscow again → discuss ways to strengthen collaboration in many areas - esp in economic aspects + further disarmament and possible SALT II |
there were other e.g. of cooperation → on top of Apollo Soyuz test project → superpowers + over 30 other nations → signed helsinki accords in 1975
- these promises to try to resolve intl disputes by diplomacy + to protect human rights such as freedom of speech and freedom from unfair arrest.