IN THE SOVIET WAITING ROOM 111expressing surprise that Gorbachëv had not as yet been included in
the Franco-Soviet talks. Gorbachëv said the decision was not in his
hands. When Chernenko made a mild enquiry about Azerbaijani
farming, Gorbachëv abruptly replied: ‘Everyone always says that
everything’s going well, but that’s wrong. In fact agriculture is a dis-
aster across the whole USSR.’ Taken aback, Chernenko asked: ‘Since
when?’ Gorbachëv, unabashed, responded: ‘Since 1917.’ The French
had difficulty in suppressing their laughter at his frankness.^54 Mitter-
rand’s delegation returned to Paris convinced that Gorbachëv was the
coming man, and Soviet party official Vadim Zagladin in ensuing
contacts confirmed that this was a distinct possibility.^55
On 7 July 1984 Chernenko presented a dispiriting appearance to
some British official visitors. Emphysema made him cough for a full
ten seconds. He frequently broke off in mid-speech. He made no
attempt to impress himself on those around him. When the topic for
discussion was foreign policy, he turned abjectly to Gromyko for help.
He apologized when he thought he had spoken too much. His logical
capacity was negligible. When he paused, his aide Alexandrov spoke
for him.^56
Though Thatcher wanted to invite Soviet leaders to London, she
drew the line at Chernenko. (She thought it premature to welcome
him, an idea that was medically hard to justify.) She preferred to wel-
come someone from the coming generation. She had no preference for
any particular individual.^57 Officials made enquiries in Canada, where
Trudeau recommended Gorbachëv.^58 The British anyway did not want
to bet exclusively on one man in Moscow. The Foreign Office proposed
that Gorbachëv should be invited in 1984, followed by Aliev and
Gromyko in the subsequent period. Thatcher agreed.^59 Gorbachëv
jumped at the chance of a London visit. Since April 1984 he had
served as Chairman of the Permanent Commission for Foreign Affairs
in the Council of the Union.^60 This was an honorific body without
authority. But it was a sign that Gorbachëv wanted to be known as
more than an agricultural specialist. The new post was a help to his
broader ambitions. He therefore had no hesitation in accepting
Thatcher’s invitation and arriving for an eight-day trip in mid-Decem-
ber 1984. Gromyko showed his jealousy by prohibiting his ministry
officials from helping with the younger man’s preparations.^61 But he
had to release some of them to accompany him.^62 Gorbachëv also
brought along the physicist Velikhov.^63
On his London visit he impressed the entire Soviet delegation that