Read Online The Helsinki Pact by Alex Cugia - Free Book Online Page B

century etching of which hung on the wall
to his right. Hanging beside it was a Merian engraving of Frankfurt
with the same church centrally placed while several other
engravings or etchings of Hesse and old urban or village views of
the Main and the Rhein decorated the other walls.
    Stephan was the first to arrive
and as the assistant left him he tried the door through which
they’d entered, the only one in the room, finding without surprise
that it was locked. Gottlieb Chance deserved its reputation as a
consummately professional firm, he thought. Sitting down at the
massive oval mahogany table which dominated the room he skimmed
through some documents on earlier Euroloan deals he’d found in the
Deutsche Bank library. As he'd expected there was almost nothing
there of much interest; there were no useful Soviet economic
figures, nothing on the USSR Central Bank’s currency or gold
reserves. He’d have to be very alert during this meeting and learn
as it progressed.
    The door opened and Weigel, the
German Finance Minister, closely followed by Herren and six other
formally suited men entered. Everyone was in their late fifties or
older, Stephan noted apprehensively.
    “Weigel looks even more
impressive than he does on television!” Stephan thought noting that
even his enormous black eyebrows, looking almost like moustaches
transplanted to above his eyes, appeared different and gave him
additional gravity. Herren greeted Stephan, shook hands, introduced
him to Weigel, and then to the others. Apart from two Finance
Ministry officials there were a couple of senior Bundesbank
officials and two Gottlieb Chance partners - Erich von Hesswald,
the senior partner, and a colleague, a specialist in Eastern and
Central European finance.
    Weigel briskly called the meeting
to order, surprising Stephan who had expected representatives of
the Soviet government to be present. They were, after all, the
party seeking the loan and so responsible for repaying
it.
    “Gentlemean, you will all be
aware that this is the first time that the Soviet Union has sought
to access Western capital markets in any significant manner. We
therefore thought it important to be here today to underline our
government’s commitment to this project. The Central Committee of
the USSR has been implementing radical reforms, perestroika, in
response to the policy of glasnost introduced by Mr Gorbachev. We
believe these reforms are desirable and will bring about dramatic
changes, changes which will be evident not only in the Soviet Union
itself but also in its relations with other countries, including
our own. There is still internal resistance to Mr Gorbachev’s
reforms, however, and Chancellor Kohl believes that Mr Gorbachev is
risking a great deal and should be supported in facilitating a
structural shift towards a more democratic and more open Soviet
Union. This demands finance and as German Finance Minister I am in
complete agreement with the Chancellor on these various
matters.”
    He paused, took a long sip of
water from the glass on his left, and looked slowly round the room
at all those present. Feeling out of place in the company in which
he now found himself Stephan felt a powerful urge to look down as
Weigel paused and looked at him curiously. Meeting and holding the
Minister's gaze with an effort of will Stephan recognised the
authority others spoke of and with which he dominated the Bundestag
during discussions on finance and the economy. Weigel nodded
slightly and moved his gaze to the next man and resumed his
comment.
    “It’s for these reasons that
Chancellor Kohl has decided that we must provide a guarantee on
these loans. I repeat, I am in entire agreement with the Chancellor
on this point. The close personal friendship and mutual trust which
has developed between Chancellor Kohl and Secretary Gorbachev is
shown by their request that we negotiate the terms and conditions
of this financing on their behalf. Dr Herren, would you kindly
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