Soviet-American Scientific and Technical Cooperation in 1960s - Early 1970s: Science Diplomacy as a Factor of Détente

Abstract

The features of the Soviet-American cooperation in the field of science and technology in the 1960s - early 1970s are studied. The issue of initially observed imbalances in scientific exchanges and differences in approaches to assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of the fundamental Lacy—Zarubin agreement from the standpoint of reciprocity and symmetry is considered. Two documentary sources are put into circulation - letters from W. S. Lacy, Special Assistant for East-West Exchanges to the US Secretary of State, and G. B. Kistiakowsky, Special Assistant to the President of the United States on Science and Technology, addressed to Secretaries of State J. F. Dulles and K. A. Herter, respectively. Based on the analysis of these documents, it is concluded that there is no consensus on the issue of measuring the effectiveness and intensity of scientific and technical cooperation between the USSR and the USA, as well as the absence of a special methodology. It was revealed that problems concerning the Lacy—Zarubin agreements implementation that existed at the first stage were largely eliminated by the end of the 1960s. Despite the fundamental differences in institutional and human resources strategies for conducting scientific exchanges and related events, which are also subject to analysis, Moscow and Washington were able to find the necessary points of contact to effectively stimulate bilateral scientific cooperation. It was noted that an important role in the process of reaching consensus was assigned to the participants of the exchange programs themselves, among whom there were many world-famous scientists. It is concluded that the researched interaction along the scientific track can be considered as one of the factors of détente in the era of bipolar confrontation.