Office of the Historian

259. Memorandum of Conversation1

Washington, July 11, 1967, 1 p.m.

SUBJECT

  • FRG Troop Levels; Chancellor Kiesinger’s Visit

PARTICIPANTS

  • President Johnson
  • FRG Ambassador Knappstein
  • Mr. Harry Obst, Language Services (interpreter)

Ambassador Knappstein told the President that he had a message which he had just received from Chancellor Kiesinger. The Chancellor [Page 591] wanted the President to know that there has been no decision to cut troop levels, just a reduction of the military budget in terms of money. He wanted to assure the President that he will make no important decisions on foreign policy without first consulting with the US. He accepts the President’s invitation to come to Washington and accepts the dates of September 12–13. He would write the President a personal message the same day.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 6 GER W. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Obst and approved by the White House on July 13. The meeting was held at a luncheon at the White House.↩