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`Summit meetings' are defined as ad hoc meetings where heads of state &/or heads of gov &/or foreing ministers from at least 2 of the big powers are present. 147 meetings of this kind in the period Jun 1941 to Jun 1961 are analyzed using as independent variable the diff phases in East-West relations. As dependent variables use is made of a number of indicators of how limited or restricted the meetings were in scope &/or participation. The data give a certain support to a combination of hyp's about the effects of polarization & predictability in soc relations, but there are also alternative interpretations. The data seem to indicate that summit meetings are used most often & in a least restricted way when: (1) there is an alliance against a 3rd power, or (2) there is conflict, with bloc-formation (relatively) completed. The standard polarization hypothesis in sociol'al theory is then modified so as to be valid only till the conflict org's have been completed & predictability has been obtained, but it is indicated that contact in this late phase of the history of a conflict may be of little instrumental value. Finally the need is pointed out for a permanent pattern of summit contact, perhaps within the framework of the UN while the big powers can use ad hoc meetings as pol'al sanctions. HA.

M. Gorbachev, Soviet head of state and general secretary of the CPSU central committee, arrived in Peking in May 1989 for a four-day visit which included talks with mainland China's top government and Party leaders. The article analyses the content of Gorbachev's discussions with the mainland Chinese leaders and evaluates the achievements, significance and possible impact of the summit. (DÜI-Sen)