(In the finishing thoughts, there is only one change today)

"Let's get straight to the point, President Yanayev." Secretary of State Igor Berg knew that the two people sitting across from him were almost scheming Kremlin monsters, and they could see through any calculations and means at a glance, and instead of maneuvering without progress, it would be better to sit down and negotiate terms generously, at least according to the attitude of the Russians, the latter would make the negotiations faster.

Yanayev moved a chair and sat down, he always looked at the other party with a smile on his face, "You say, Secretary of State Igelberg, as long as the conditions put forward are reasonable, we can naturally continue to talk." We're not unreasonable, are we? ”

Whew, it looks like we can continue to talk. Igor Berg breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, he said, "We feel deep guilt and uneasiness about what happened to our ships in the waters of the Arctic Ocean of your country, and we hope that this unpleasant incident will not affect the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries......

"Wait a minute." Yanayev interrupted Igorberg's words with a wave of his hand, and he said with a frown and some dissatisfaction, "I just need to hear the conditions you put forward, and I am not interested in any other nonsense." ”

"For the losses caused by your submarines, the cost of rescue and the arrangement of food and accommodation for soldiers are all paid by us, and not a penny will be left behind, but we also have the conditions to return the soldiers as soon as possible, and our rescue ship can enter the Arctic Ocean to carry out operations to salvage the Baton Rouge nuclear submarine, what are the conditions?"

Igelberg thought that he had put forward a reasonable and exciting condition for the other party, who knew that Yanayev just smiled and shook his head and said. "Do you really think I'm a three-year-old? Such trading conditions can also be proposed? ”

"Huh?" Igorberg was stunned for a moment. He did not expect Yanayev to be dissatisfied with these conditions. "If President Yanayev is not satisfied, he can put forward his own opinion, and we will discuss it, and everything will be negotiable." ”

"Chechnya." Yanayev mentioned something that had nothing to do with the incident.

Igorberg was a little baffled, "Chechnya? What do you mean? Aren't we talking about events in the Arctic Ocean? ”

"In addition to the two conditions you proposed, add one more, your NATO allies must be ordered to stop aiding the Chechens, otherwise not to mention your rescue ships entering our waters. Even those hundreds of sailors, you don't want to go back. You don't have to fool me, Secretary Igelberg, the Soviet Union has one of the best intelligence networks in the world. I see everything you do. ”

Although the war in Chechnya has stopped, this does not mean that the United States, which plays the role of a world-stirring stick, has stopped attacking itself, and every day all kinds of weapons still flow into Chechnya through secret channels and are used by the remnants of the guerrillas against the Soviet army.

"In addition, we will unilaterally dispatch rescue ships, and we will never let American rescue ships set foot on an inch of our country. This is also my condition, a condition that cannot be negotiated. ”

Igelberg pushed his glasses and said with some embarrassment. "I'm going to report what you're saying to the president, after all, I don't have the right to handle this kind of thing."

"The Kremlin has a direct hotline to Washington. Secretary Igelberg, you can call and ask right now. Yanayev was amused when he remembered how anxious Bush was at this time. The only thing the US president is thinking about now should be how to satisfactorily resolve the crisis of confidence in the government caused by this incident and retain his position in the next election.

Secretary of State Igelberg used the hotline to call the president's office in the White House, told Bush the Soviets of the conditions, lowered his voice, and asked in a low voice what should we do?

"What should I do?" Bush, who was disgraced by the news revelations, said angrily, "Of course he did." Now that the Soviets have the handle on us, thank God, one exposure is enough. If they do anything else, it's not impossible that I will be impeached by Congress. Secretary Igelberg, you have to see clearly that we are the underdog now, and as long as the other side does not go too far, let him do it. ”

"Is that really okay?" Even Igelberg felt that the Soviet demands were a bit excessive.

"You are responsible for this matter and grasp the size, you know, now the whole country is watching the fate of these hundreds of officers and soldiers, if they have the slightest loss, you and I are waiting to resign and step down!" Bush said indignantly, then hung up the phone with a snap, and sat alone in front of his desk sulking; indeed, if the exposure incident had not happened, the US Government would still be able to bargain with the Soviets, but now because of public opinion, the initiative is completely in the hands of the other side.

Igorberg walked back to the negotiating table and said to Yanayev, "I can agree to your conditions, but there is one condition that you must also meet me, so that I can bring our soldiers home as soon as possible." ”

Yanayev, who deliberately pretended to have a difficult face, but was secretly happy in his heart, sighed and said, "Secretary Igelberg, it's not that we are unwilling to return your soldiers, but to take the sick out of the isolation room. It's not a good choice for me, it's not good for you. ”

"There are things that we Americans will deal with, and there is no need for His Excellency the President to bother so much." "We have agreed to all your demands, and it is time to return our soldiers, Your Excellency the President." ”

"Of course, as long as I receive information in a few days that arms aid will be cut off and diplomatic relations with Chechnya will be completely severed. By the way, the money for the fee was transferred to the account we specified. Yanayev smiled like a cunning fox and said, "We will let them go immediately." ”

At this point in the negotiations, Igorberg was in no good mood to continue, and he nodded expressionlessly, "Very good, I hope President Yanayev can keep his promises, after all, Americans are only willing to deal with reputable countries." ”

"Hehe, of course." Yanayev smiled meaningfully, he stretched out his hand to shake hands with Igorberg and said, "I hope this cooperation is pleasant." ”

Igorberg shook hands with Yanayev with a smile and a word, but what he thought was a big FUCK. He had never seen such a cunning and shameless Soviet leader, a philistine and calculating, and the United States, which had always claimed to be calculating the whole world, was being comprehensively calculated for the first time today.

"This is the first time that our national strength is strong and we can afford to lose." Igorberg sneered inwardly and thought, "But you, the Soviet Union, are on the verge of economic difficulties, and I wonder if President Yanayev will be able to afford to lose in the future." (To be continued.) )