16一场外交游戏

16、ADiplomaticGameTheambassadorenteredtheOvalOfficeaminuteearly,at10:59A.M.onDecember10thofayearinearly1980s.Hewasashort,overweightmanwithabroadSlavic1faceandeyesthatwouldhavedoneaprofessionalgamblerproud.Theyrevealed2nothing.Hewasacareerdiplomat,havingservedinanumberofpoststhroughouttheWesternworld.“Goodmorning,Mr.President,Dr.Pelt,”AlexeiArbatovnoddedpolitelytobothmen.Thepresident,henotedatonce,wasseatedbehindhisdesk.Everyothertimehedbeenherethepresidenthadcomearoundthedesktoshakehands,thensatdownbesidehim.“Helpyourselftosomecoffee,Mr.Ambassador,”Peltoffered.ThespecialassistanttothepresidentfornationalsecurityaffairswaswellknowntoArbatov.JeffreyPeltwasanacademicfromtheGeorgetownUniversitysCenterforStrategicandInternationalStudies--anenemy,butawell-manneredenemy.Arbatovhadafondnessfor3theniceties4offormalbehavior