MOSCOW, October 6 (Itar-Tass) —— The lessons of the Caribbean Crisis should serve to the development of the principles of strategic stability in a modern configuration of forces on the international scene, Academician Andrei Kokoshin told Itar-Tass in comments on the publication of his new piece of work titled “Contemplations about the Caribbean Crisis in view of the problems of strategic stability”.

“The Caribbean Crisis in October 1962 was the acutest one in the history of the confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States during the Cold War, when both superpowers were on the verge of a third world war with the use of nuclear weapons,” he recalled. “Although in modern conditions the probability for such crisis to recur in Russian-US relations is very low, its lessons can be handy in other potential nuclear conflicts in the twenty-first century,” the Russian academician said.

Kokoshin noted that back at the end of the twentieth century two new nuclear powers emerged – India and Pakistan and several more nuclear powers may emerge. “But in new “nuclear configurations” the principles of strategic stability are not practiced yet, as they were practiced in Soviet-US relations, then in Russian-US relations, particularly after the Caribbean Crisis,” he noted. “But in Russian-US relations the parameters of strategic stability are regularly put to test by the US thanks to the problem of the missile defence,” he remarked.

The Caribbean Crisis was the sharpest one in the history of the confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States during the Cold War. Andrei Kokoshin, the dean of the world politics faculty of the Lomonosov Moscow State University, famous for his works in history and political science and for his rich practical working experience as the first deputy defence minister, the secretary of the Defence Council, the secretary of the Russian Security Council, described in his new book several important details, nuances in the policy of the parties to the confrontation at the moment of this crisis that are almost unknown for a broad audience. This was done particularly through the personal talks in the past with several active participants of this crisis from both sides, the political scientist noted.

Kokoshin noted that “the Caribbean Crisis sobered Soviet and US leaderships,” and “ended with a mutually acceptable political decision, which had public and non-public aspects.”

Academician Kokoshin noted in his book the skills and valour, with which Soviet military officials performed their duties at various levels, including the crews of the submarines of the Soviet Navy that were dispatched to Cuba during this period of time.

“Before the 50th anniversary of the October 1962 Caribbean Crisis the publication of such a small, but content-intensive book, which is also published in English by the US Harvard University, should cover the most important lessons of the crisis so that this will help ensure an efficient crisis management in modern conditions,” Academician Kokoshin underlined.