71. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, September 7, 19561
SUBJECT
- German Note to USSR on Reunification
PARTICIPANTS
- The Secretary of State
- Dr. Heinz L. Krekeler, Ambassador, German Embassy
- Dr. Rolf Pauls, Counselor, German Embassy
- Mr. J.J. Reinstein
The German Ambassador gave the Secretary of State a note on the subject of reunification of Germany, attached to which was a memorandum which the Federal Government had addressed to the USSR on the subject.2 In presenting the note the Ambassador said he wished to express the appreciation of his Government for the efforts which the U.S. Government had made over a long period of time in behalf of the reunification of Germany.
The Secretary said that he was glad that the German Government had taken the initiative in raising the subject with the Soviet Government. He said that aside from the German Federal Government itself, he thought that the U.S. Government had been most active in pressing the issue of reunification. The achievement of reunification continues to be a major objective of American foreign policy. The Secretary said that he felt the subject should be continued [Page 155] to be kept in the forefront and impressed on the Soviet Government.
- Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199. Confidential. Drafted by Reinstein.↩
- For text of the note, dated September 2, and the attached memorandum, see Department of State Bulletin, September 24, 1956, pp. 485–493. Identic notes were also sent to the British and French. On August 30, the German Foreign Ministry had submitted a draft of the memorandum to the Department of State. A comparison of the draft and final text is in a memorandum from Elbrick to Dulles, dated September 7. (Department of State, Central Files, 762A.00/9–756) Documentation on U.S. interest in the German démarche is ibid., 762A.00.↩