Soviet Union 1991

(Second update 0

The U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union Jack F. Matlock Jr. hated two things. One was trying vodka that tasted like industrial alcohol, and the other was stepping into the Kremlin to meet with Soviet leaders. The former would make his stomach churn for a few days at most, but the latter would give Matlock nightmares for several days. Especially Yanayev’s cold eyes are an actor who could win an Oscar for Best Villain. So much so that when Matlock saw Yanayev, who had a friendly image in newspapers, he would often wonder if he was seeing the same person.

Fortunately, the person he met this time was Tasnia Shevardnadze, the Soviet Foreign Minister. Compared with Yanayev's gloomy face, Shevardnadze was polite and affable, which made Matlock relax. A lot.

"Hello, Ambassador Matlock, I am Shevardnadze, Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union." Shevardnadze greeted him with a smile, and the gentle smile made him relax a lot. Sometimes Matlock feels depressed, why?

"Hello, Minister Shevardnadze, I'm glad that you can take time out of your busy schedule to meet with me."

After sitting down on the chair, Matlock, the U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union, exchanged polite greetings with Shevardnadze on the surface, while mentally thinking about how to ask him about the matter later. After all, the task assigned to him by the Washington government was to retrieve as many of the ship officers detained in the Soviet Union as possible.

However, what Matlock did not expect was that Shevardnadze actually brought up the matter of American submarines first, "I received a request for help from you, which is about the accident of the USS Baton Rouge in the Arctic Ocean. Of course we We also immediately mobilized the search and rescue boats of the North Sea Fleet to search for the wrecked personnel. Fortunately, we quickly found the personnel of the wrecked submarine and brought them back to Murmansk, where your crew will receive complete medical treatment. ”

Having said this, Shevardnadze sighed deliberately, and Matlock's heart suddenly became nervous. Shevardnadze continued, "But according to the report in my hand, several crew members have contracted infectious diseases due to physical reasons, so we can only isolate your crew members for treatment. We can only wait until everyone recovers. They are handed back to you.”

Hearing this, Matlock breathed a sigh of relief and said quickly, "So how long will the treatment take? How long will it take for me to welcome people back to us?"

"Well..." Shevardnadze scratched his head deliberately. He said, "Maybe, it will take about a month and a half. With some later observations to confirm that everything is correct, the time it will take to actually return the person to you will be about two months."

"Two months?" Matlock almost stood up from his chair. He calmed down his emotions and asked in a calm tone, "Are you serious? Minister Shevardnadze. It takes two months for a small viral infection?"

Matlock's subtext is that he doesn't believe this excuse.

Everyone can see that the Soviet Union is acting rogue, but Matlock just can't pierce this layer of paper.

Shevardnadze sat behind his desk, holding a cup of coffee and looking at Matlock's uncertain expression, thinking to himself, I just like how you Americans can't stand me but can't stop me from building the great ideal of socialism. Shevardnadze chuckled and said to Matlock in a serious manner, "We didn't detain your crew on purpose, Ambassador Matlock. You have to know that bacterial infections in the Arctic Ocean are very deadly. Until you figure out which ones they are, I can't let them go before the virus is infected. This is responsible for our safety. If something happens, we will have to rely on you."

Matlock felt that his blood pressure was a little elevated. He made a pause gesture to Shevardnadze and sat on a chair to calm down. "Let me calm down first, Minister Shevardnadze."

"Okay, let's continue talking after you calm down." The first round of confrontation ended with Shevardnadze's victory. He waited until Matlock's expression gradually calmed down before signaling to the other party whether he wanted to continue. After all, Matlock's physical condition did not seem to be that ideal.

Matlock nodded and said, "Of course. I put forward a condition, which is to allow the American medical team to enter your Murmansk to treat our crew members. Is this request not too much?"

"It still doesn't work." Shevardnadze looked very embarrassed, "You know. They are currently conducting treatment at the base of the North Sea Fleet. Generally speaking, outsiders, especially opponents, cannot enter. When we go to the North Sea Fleet base, no one knows whether there will be some people with special identities mixed in, so please forgive me, Ambassador Matlock.”

Everyone knows that the special personnel Shevardnadze refers to are the intelligence spies of the US military. Matlock had a headache. It was obvious that the Soviets were perfunctory with him, and in the end they had no choice but to ask straight to the point, "So what can I do to see the crew members you detained as soon as possible?"

"Watch your words, Ambassador Matlock. It's aid, not seizure. You must be very careful in diplomatic terms, otherwise it will cause diplomatic turmoil." Shevardnadze still looked gentle and sad. He said, "I have said before that the crew can only be released unless it is finally confirmed that they are in good health."

"Anyway, in our Soviet Union, everything will be based on caution. When the crew is really fine, they will be returned to you naturally. Oh, by the way, all expenses incurred during the rescue and treatment period will be paid by the US government. This is ours. condition."

Matlock was a little stunned. Is this still a socialist camp that does not pay attention to economic benefits and only pursues equality for everyone? It's simply more vicious than the blood-sucking bankers on Wall Street. He immediately retorted, "I hope Minister Shevardnadze can make one thing clear. Rescue is humanitarian, and interests or personal emotions should not be brought into negotiations."

"Oh, that's it, then let me count the losses caused by your relationship." Shevardnadze said seriously, wagging his fingers, "First, your submarine Baton Rouge has not been approved by the Soviet government. He broke into our waters without permission and even caused damage to one of our Sierra-class submarines. We didn’t ask you to compensate for this cost, did we?”

"Second, in order to rescue your personnel, we dispatched multiple destroyers and rescue boats to search and rescue your crew members. We have also provided you with the best treatment services. But as a diplomat, Matlock, you only care about You crew members have no regard for our feelings.”

"Third, what about your sneaking into Soviet waters and trying to eavesdrop on our intelligence? For this matter, we can formally protest, and even openly detain your crew and give them the worst treatment, instead of treating them and then releasing them. This group of white-eyed wolves is returned to you. If it is despicable for us to be responsible for the health of this group of crew members, then can what you Americans have done be described as outrageous? "

"They are just a bunch of cunning foxes!" Shevardnadze's barrage of questions made Matlock unable to parry, but at this time, the problem of high blood pressure occurred again. Matlock subconsciously wanted to take out a few pills from his pocket and swallow them to calm down the shock, but he was so dizzy that he fell off the chair and fell to the floor.

Seeing this situation, Shevardnadze quickly called the medical staff to come in. Matlock, who was gradually losing consciousness, looked at the communist symbol of sickle and hammer on the ceiling, as if it was a ruthless mockery of him. Matlock thought of me feebly. If you provoke someone, you will suffer such torture.

Paramedics rushed into Shevardnadze's office and gave Matlock emergency treatment. The instigator Shevardnadze stood aside pretending to be innocent and looked at Matlock with gloating eyes.

"I guess the Soviet ambassador to the United States will be transferred." Shevardnadze thought to himself. (To be continued.)