sentences:  Matlock continued to advise the President on policy toward the Soviet Union and on September 1, 1983, when the Soviets shot down commercial flight KAL 007, Matlock returned to Washington to work with White House officials.Reagan appointed Matlock to the position of "Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director of European and Soviet Affairs" in the National Security Council (NSC) in order to develop a negotiating strategy to end the arms race.Earlier in the year, the long-standing containment strategy toward the U.S.S.R. had been modified by Matlock's predecessor Richard Pipes to include bringing internal pressure on the Soviets while conducting negotiations in the mutual interest.