The USSR and Asia in 1982: The End of the Brezhnev Era

Abstract

THROUGHOUT HIS PERIOD of leadership, Leonid Brezhnev was closely associated with the Soviet role in Asia-aspirations (his Asian Security Proposal), successes (relations with Vietnam and India), failures (Afghanistan and the disastrous relationship with China), and rise to regional military importance. In the last year of his life, Brezhnev remained active in Asian policy, even as significant trends emerged that could alter-for better or worse-some of the Soviets' principal Asian relationships. His passing from the scene on November 10 could itself contribute to the further evolution of these trends. For most of 1982, Soviet attention was focused away from Asia, and there were few events that forced a Soviet response. Brezhnev himself made policy statements on Asia-in Tashkent in March and Baku in September-that broke no new ground and continued to reflect his hyper-conservative policy of waiting for the chance to profit from the mistakes of others. By late in the year, however, an important opening was made on the most critical of all the Soviets' relationships-the long-standing quarrel with China.