Editing Robert Byrd (section)

==== Foreign policy ====
On February 2, 1978, Byrd and Minority Leader Baker invited all other senators to join them in sponsoring two amendments to the [[Torrijos–Carter Treaties]], the two party leaders sending copies of amendments recommended by the Foreign Relations Committee the previous week.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/02/03/archives/byrd-and-baker-bid-colleagues-cosponsor-2-canal-amendments.html|title=Byrd and Baker Bid Colleagues Co-Sponsor 2 Canal Amendments|date=February 3, 1978|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=August 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817124946/https://www.nytimes.com/1978/02/03/archives/byrd-and-baker-bid-colleagues-cosponsor-2-canal-amendments.html|archive-date=August 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 1979, Byrd met with [[Deputy Prime Minister of China]] [[Deng Xiaoping]] for assurances by Deng that China hoped to [[Chinese unification|unite Taiwan to the mainland]] by peaceful means and would fully respect "the present realities" on the island. Byrd afterward stated that his concern on the [[Political status of Taiwan|Taiwan question]] had been allayed.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/01/31/archives/teng-on-capitol-hill-says-peking-must-keep-taiwan-options-open-teng.html|title=Teng, on Capitol Hill, Says Peking Must Keep Taiwan Options Open|date=January 31, 1979|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919133800/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/01/31/archives/teng-on-capitol-hill-says-peking-must-keep-taiwan-options-open-teng.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In June, Byrd opined that a decision by President Carter to not proceed with the new missile system would kill the [[SALT II|strategic arms limitation treaty]] in the Senate.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/06/11/archives/soviet-cautions-us-on-mx-deployment-but-commentary-in-pravda-gives.html|title=Soviet Cautions U.S. on MX Deployment|date=June 11, 1979|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919094534/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/06/11/archives/soviet-cautions-us-on-mx-deployment-but-commentary-in-pravda-gives.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Byrd held meetings with Soviet leaders between July 3 to July 4. Following their conclusion, Byrd said he was still undecided on supporting the arms pact and that there had been talks on "the need on both sides for avoidance of inflammatory rhetoric which can only be counterproductive".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/07/06/archives/senator-byrd-leaving-soviet-says-he-is-still-undecided-on-arms-pact.html|title=Senator Byrd, Leaving Soviet, Says He Is Still Undecided on Arms Pact|first=Craig R.|last=Whitney|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 6, 1979 |access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919094544/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/07/06/archives/senator-byrd-leaving-soviet-says-he-is-still-undecided-on-arms-pact.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> On September 23, Byrd stated that it was possible the Senate could complete the strategic arms limitation treaty that year but a delay until the following year could result in its defeat, adding that senators might have to remain in session during Christmas to ensure the treaty was voted on before 1979's end. Byrd noted that he was opposed to the treaty being "held hostage to the Cuban situation" as American interests could be harmed in the event the treaty was defeated solely due to [[Soviet Armed Forces]] troops being in Cuba.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/09/23/archives/byrd-says-arms-pact-could-still-be-acted-on-in-79.html|title=Byrd Says Arms Pact Could Still Be Acted on in '79|date=September 23, 1979|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919211702/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/09/23/archives/byrd-says-arms-pact-could-still-be-acted-on-in-79.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In November, Byrd admitted to complaining to President Carter about Senate leadership receiving only occasional briefings about the [[Iranian hostage crisis]] and that Carter had agreed to daily consultations for Minority Leader [[Howard Baker]], chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee [[Frank Church]], and ranking Republican member of the Foreign Relations Committee [[Jacob Javits]]. Byrd added that he did not disagree with the move by the Carter administration to admit [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]] for hospitalization and that the same action would extend to "[[Ayatollah Khomeini]] himself if he were needing medical treatment and had a terminal illness".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/11/18/archives/byrd-says-carter-agrees-to-consult-him-on-iran.html|title=Byrd Says Carter Agrees To Consult Him on Iran|date=November 18, 1979|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919211705/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/11/18/archives/byrd-says-carter-agrees-to-consult-him-on-iran.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> On December 3, Byrd told reporters that the [[Iran hostage crisis|Iranian hostage crisis]] was making the Senate uninhabitable for a debate on the strategic arms treaty, noting that a discussion could still occur before the Senate adjourned on December 21 but that he did not believe he would call up the opportunity even if granted the chance.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/04/archives/iran-issue-detracts-from-arms-treaty-byrd-says-environment-in.html|title=IRAN ISSUE DETRACTS FROM ARMS TREATY|date=December 4, 1979|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920011000/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/04/archives/iran-issue-detracts-from-arms-treaty-byrd-says-environment-in.html|archive-date=September 20, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Days later, Byrd announced there was no chance that the Senate would take up debate on the strategic arms treaty that year while speaking to reporters, adding that he would see no harm in having the discussion on the treaty begin in January of the following year.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/07/archives/byrd-sees-no-arms-debate-in-79.html|title=Byrd Sees No Arms Debate in '79|date=December 7, 1979|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919211429/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/07/archives/byrd-sees-no-arms-debate-in-79.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>