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Soviet Union [USSR] Higher State and Government Organizations
In accordance with the 1977 Constitution and the amendments and
additions promulgated in December 1988, several organizations were
involved in the formation of foreign policy, including the Congress
of People's Deputies, the Supreme Soviet, the Presidium of the
Supreme Soviet, and the Council of Ministers. This influence was
primarily a result of the membership of high-ranking CPSU officials
in these bodies, which had a limited ability to select and
interpret information passed on to the party leadership.
The Congress of People's Deputies and the Supreme Soviet
The changes to the Constitution adopted in December 1988
altered the character of the Soviet legislative system
(see Soviet Union USSR - Supreme Soviet
, ch. 8). The changes invested the Congress of People's
Deputies with "defining the basic guidelines" of foreign policy and
expressly assigned foreign policy duties to the newly created
position of chairman of the Supreme Soviet. The role of the Supreme
Soviet in formulating and overseeing the execution of foreign
policy was theoretically strengthened by providing for lengthy
(six- to eight-month) yearly sittings of the Supreme Soviet. The
duties assigned to the Supreme Soviet including forming the Defense
Council, appointing the senior commanders of the armed forces,
ratifying international treaties, proclaiming a state of war, and
making decisions on the use of troops abroad. This latter provision
was added to the list of duties of the Supreme Soviet, as explained
by Gorbachev and other leaders, because of the closed nature of the
decision process that led to committing troops to the invasion of
Afghanistan. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet was assigned
responsibility for minor diplomatic functions and declaring war in
periods when the Supreme Soviet was not in session. The chairman of
the Supreme Soviet was to represent the Soviet Union in foreign
relations with other states. He was also to submit reports on
foreign policy to the Congress of People's Deputies and the Supreme
Soviet, head the Defense Council, and negotiate and sign
international treaties. A Foreign Affairs Commission was also set
up and its members empowered to formulate and oversee foreign
policy execution. The new legislative structures apparently
provided for greater legislative oversight of foreign policy
execution and even for some input into the foreign policy
formulation process, with the chairman and the Presidium of the
Supreme Soviet playing a guiding role in foreign policy activities.
Data as of May 1989
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