Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Paris: Forrest Sawyer) Signing by Warsaw Pact nations and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) of conventional arms agreement that will mark the end of the Cold War previewed. Reports introduced.

(Paris: Barrie Dunsmore) History of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe featured; scenes shown of signing of historic Helsinki Agreement in 1975. [Former secretary of state Henry KISSINGER - says Helsinki Agreement gave us a legal standard for human rights.] Yuri Orlov recalled setting up first group to monitor compliance of USSR with Helsinki Agreement that blossomed into a Soviet dissident movement that included Andrei Sakharov; historical scenes shown. [Solidarity spokesman Janusz ONYSZKIEWICZ - comments.] [US CSCE representative Max KAMPELMAN - says USSR had to live up to its commitments.] Link between CSCE and revolutions in Eastern Europe reiterated.

(Prague: Jim Bittermann) Impact of CSCE on human rights in Czechoslovakia examined; scenes shown of Charter 77, clandestine group formed in 1977 to assert human rights that were guaranteed by Helsinki accords. [Charter 77 founder Libuse SILHANOVA - says Helsinki Agreement was a great contribution to process of democratization.] Early release from prison of now Czech President Vaclav Havel mentioned. Current need for a European security organization like the CSCE to resolve such problems as the nationalities disputes and pollution detailed.

(Paris: Forrest Sawyer) President Mikhail Gorbachev shown stopping to visit Pope John Paul II on his way to CSCE conference.