The face of Soviet arms control diplomacy across SALT, INF, and START
"Based on the principle of equality and equal security which precludes superiority by any one party" — arrival statement, Geneva arms talks, March 1985
The Soviet Foreign Ministry's leading arms control diplomat, Karpov guided the Soviet side through the decisive phases of US-Soviet strategic arms negotiations from SALT I and SALT II through INF to START I. After postings as counsellor in Washington and adviser in the MFA's foreign policy planning directorate, he became head of the Arms Limitation and Disarmament Directorate in 1985 and served as chief of the Soviet delegation at the Geneva talks. He steered the INF Treaty (1987) and START I (1991) to completion, and as Deputy Foreign Minister from 1990 oversaw strategic arms relations with Washington until the USSR's final days.
Activities and affiliations
Career Timeline
- 1951Graduated, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO)
- 1958–1962First Secretary, Foreign Policy Information Directorate, USSR MFA
- 1962–1966Counsellor, Soviet Embassy in Washington
- 1966–1980Adviser, Foreign Policy Planning Directorate, USSR MFA
- 1980–1985Ambassador-at-Large, USSR MFA
- 1985–1990Head, Directorate for Arms Limitation and Disarmament, Collegium Member, USSR MFA
- 1990–1991Deputy Foreign Minister of the USSR
- 1991–1997Senior Adviser, Disarmament Department, Russian MFA
Related historical events
- 1969–1979Détente and the SALT NegotiationsSoviet arms-control negotiatorKarpov guided the Soviet side through strategic arms negotiations, including SALT I and SALT II.
- 1985–1991Perestroika and Glasnostarms control negotiator
- 1985–1989The New Thinking and the End of the Cold WarHead of the Soviet delegation at GenevaKarpov led the Geneva talks on eliminating intermediate-range nuclear forces in Europe and reducing strategic arms.
Geneva Arms-Control Negotiations and Treaty-Making
After becoming head of the Soviet Foreign Ministry's Directorate for Arms Limitation and Disarmament in 1985, Karpov played a leading role in Soviet-American arms-control negotiations. He headed the Soviet delegation at the Geneva talks on eliminating intermediate-range nuclear forces in Europe and reducing strategic offensive arms by 50 percent. The negotiations led to the signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty on 8 December 1987 and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) on 31 July 1991. Karpov served as Deputy Foreign Minister in 1990–1991 and from 1991 was a senior adviser in the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for Disarmament.