Carnegie Council Project Offers New Insights into the Final Years of the Cold War

NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- August 19th marks the 20th anniversary of the 1991 coup d'etat attempt by Communist hard-liners against the government of reformer Mikhail Gorbachev, an event that many believe was the beginning of the end for the Soviet Union.

Yet although two decades have now passed since the Soviet Union's collapse, "the full story of the end of the Cold War has yet to be told," says Carnegie Council's U.S. Global Engagement Program Director, David C. Speedie.

In late 2010, Speedie launched a series of interviews in Moscow with leading Russian dissidents and also with U.S. foreign policymakers who played a role in the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Throughout the winter of 2010/2011, he recorded thought-provoking discussions with Russian parliamentary "reformers" and aides to Boris Yeltsin, as well as Americans who trained and collaborated with these Russian influentials. Working hand-in-hand with high profile public dignitaries such as Yeltsin, these individuals worked from behind the scenes to effect change, making the decisions and reaching the agreements that ultimately led to the Soviet Union's collapse.

Speakers include Gavriil Popov, the first democratically elected mayor of Moscow, and several of his appointees; U.S. Ambassador Jack Matlock, whom Popov enlisted to help prevent the coup; and John Exnicios, former vice president of the Krieble Institute, who played a key role in training Russian dissidents.  

For the complete set of interviews, go to www.carnegiecouncil.org/resources/picks/0028.html.

The End of the Cold War project will culminate in an hour-long TV documentary, which will appear by the end of the year.

The Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs (www.carnegiecouncil.org), established in 1914 by Andrew Carnegie, is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing understanding of the relationship between ethics and international affairs.

SOURCE Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs