MOSCOW: President Nixon and the Soviet Communist Party leader, Mr Leonid Brezhnev, met for nearly two hours tonight [May 22], and afterwards a Soviet spokesman said both countries expect positive results from summit talks. … White House Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler said the President and Mr. Brezhnev had a businesslike and frank conversation, soon after Mr. Nixon’s arrival here for the long-awaited summit. … Mr Nixon arrived in Moscow … to begin a nine-day visit… . No visiting Head of State has ever been given such a chilly reception as President Nixon received… . No 21-gun salute, no fighter escort for his plane before it touched down. Only the officers in the guard of honour which welcomed Mr Nixon wore the Kremlin garrison’s traditional parade uniform, and the 18-men motorcycle escort which led President Nixon’s motorcade lacked that colourful touch.

The welcoming party of 450 members of the “Institute of Soviet-American Relations” stood at the airport waving little flags — more Soviet than American. Mr Brezhnev was not present at the arrival ceremony. All three top leaders had turned out to greet President Georges Pompidou of France when he came here in 1970. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2022