L. I. BREZHNEV - I. B. TITO NEGOTIATIONS OF THE 1970S - THE CHINESE FACTOR
For a long time, the position of Yugoslavia was independent from the USSR in respect of some problems, which in the context of the Soviet-Chinese conflict predetermined the increased attention to this country from both Moscow and Beijing. In this regard, the article deals with the reflection of the Chinese factor in the Soviet-Yugoslav negotiations from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. In this time, the tactics of the Yugoslav side steadily changed towards greater benevolence towards China: if at first the Yugoslav leaders and Marshal Tito himself preferred to refrain from directly expressing their position on the Chinese problem, including the state of Soviet-Chinese relations, then in the second half of the 1970s the statements of the Yugoslavs took on a more definite character. While still emphasizing their disagreement with Beijing on a number of questions of international policy, including issues of disarmament, the process of detente, etc., Tito and other partners of the Soviet leaders at the same time spoke about the feasibility of improving relations with the PRC in the interests of both Yugoslavia and the "socialist Commonwealth" in general, including the USSR. These assurances, however, did not affect the Soviet side; since 1977, the discussion of the Chinese factor in the course of negotiations was accompanied by an increasing expression of dissatisfaction with the Belgrade’s point of view by the USSR leaders. This was especially evident in may 1979, during Tito’s last meeting with Brezhnev, which took place in an atmosphere of already far-reaching Sino-Yugoslav rapprochement, while relations between Moscow and Beijing reached their greatest tension.