US Presidency
1987

By doing so, we've dealt not just with arms control issues but also with fundamental problems such as Soviet expansionism, human rights violations, as well as our own moral opposition to the ideology that justifies such practices. In this way, we have put Soviet-American relations on a far more candid and far more realistic footing. It also means that, while there's movement indeed, dramatic movement, in the arms reduction area, much remains to be done in that area as well as in these other critical areas that I've mentioned, especially, and this goes without saying, in advancing our goal of a world open to the expansion of human freedom and the growth of democratic government. So, much work lies ahead. Let me explain: On the matter of regional conflicts, I spoke candidly with Mr. Gorbachev on the issues of Afghanistan, Iran-Iraq, Cambodia, Angola, and Nicaragua. I continue to have high hopes, and he assured me that he did too, that we can have real cooperation in resolving regional conflicts on terms that promote peace and freedom.