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Gorbachev calls on politicians to pull efforts to rebuild trust between countries

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev noted that the current situation in the world, including in Europe, is "alarming"

MOSCOW, October 20. /TASS/. Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has called on politicians to spare no effort to rebuild trust between countries.

"Much of what we achieved 30 years ago has been thwarted: disarmament treaties, cooperation programs, and what is most important - trust," he said in his video address to the roundtable meeting on 30th anniversary of the 2+4 Treaty. "Much effort, political will and wisdom are needed to rebuild trust and get back to the path of cooperation. It is not easy but I am sure it is possible."

He noted that the current situation in the world, including in Europe, is "alarming." "The causes for that are difficult, but I cannot but speak about the responsibility of those who have declared themselves the winner of the cold war, who have arrogated special rights in global politics," he said.

"I am convinced that if they [politicians] extend hands to each other, pull their efforts to continue what was started years ago, the peoples of the world and Europe, including millions of Russians and Germans, will support them sincerely and will help them in this historic endeavor," Gorbachev stressed.

The Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany, commonly referred to as the 2+4 Treaty, was signed on September 12, 1990 in Moscow by the top diplomats from the former Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the German Democratic Republic, and the Federal Republic of Germany. The document set the borders of unified Germany, terms of its sovereignty, and regulated the withdrawal of Soviet troops of that country by the end of 1994.