ABSTRACT
From the inception of the Gorbachev period, there was every reason to believe that Eastern Europe would occupy a central place on the Soviet policy agenda. Recognition by Gorbachev that Soviet-East European relations require fundamental transformation has produced “new thinking” in all areas. The community of socialist states to which the Soviet Union and the East European countries belong has traditionally been seen and portrayed as a voluntary association of countries who have allied themselves economically, politically and militarily for the defense and promotion of socialist ideals. The reformulation of ideological precepts has proceeded from the general process of pereotsenka to the specific reconstruction or perestroika of the ideological assumptions underlying Soviet-East European relations. The process of bandaging old wounds, perevyazka, is long over-due in Soviet-East European relations. In attempting to discern the extent to which Soviet perceptions and policies toward Eastern Europe have changed since Gorbachev was elected General Secretary, the analyst is presented with several major difficulties.
