40 years ago October 12, 1986: Reagan-Gorbachev talks

On October 12, 1986, US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev concluded the second session of their talks in Iceland. Gorbachev reportedly desired either a test ban or an accord on Euromissiles, while Reagan advocated for continuing nuclear component testing for space arms. The talks were shrouded in secrecy as a news blackout was in effect.

In a separate incident, eleven individuals lost their lives and twenty-two were injured, including three with serious injuries, when a Punjab Roadways bus plunged into a deep ditch near Dhar, located 20 kilometers from Pathankot. According to an official report, the injured were promptly taken to a hospital in Pathankot. Additionally, a catastrophic earthquake that devastated San Salvador and nearly flattened its center on the same day resulted in approximately 1,000 deaths and injured 4,000 people.

President José Napoleón Duarte declared a national state of emergency and directed his Cabinet to report to the headquarters of the joint chiefs of staff, issuing urgent requests for medical professionals to report to nearby hospitals. Meanwhile, the US Defense Secretary, Caspar Weinberger, proposed co-production facilities for defense equipment manufacturing to India.

Weinberger was also prepared to engage in discussions with Pakistan and China to address any concerns India might have regarding its security environment and alleviate tensions in the Subcontinent.