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1974 - Soviet Union agrees to ease its emigration policy in return for most-favoured-nation trade status with the US.
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Was the General Secretary of the Central Committee (CC) of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in duration. During Brezhnev's rule, the global influence of the Soviet Union grew dramatically
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1964 - Khrushchev is replaced as first secretary of the Communist Party by Leonid Brezhnev; Aleksey Kosygin becomes prime minister.
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1969 - Soviet and Chinese troops clash across the border.
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1972 - Soviet Union and US sign SALT-1 arms control agreement, heralding the start of detente.
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1977 - Brezhnev elected president under new constitution.
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1979 - Soviet Union and US sign SALT-2 agreement; Soviet troops invade Afghanistan, formally ending the period of detente with the West
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1980 - Kosygin is replaced as prime minister by Nikolay Tikhonov; Kosygin dies.