155. Letter From Chancellor Erhard to President Johnson1
Dear Mr. President,
Recently we had the visit of Secretary of State Dean Rusk.2 I had a long talk with him and found to my great pleasure that full agreement was discernible concerning the big political issues. Herr Schroder also told me about the very good co-operation that existed between him and Mr. Rusk at the Brussels NATO Conference.3
In this difficult phase I feel that it is of decisive importance for the fourteen NATO partners who want to continue the alliance in its present integrated form to take a clear and firm position. Only then we do have a chance, as I hope, to come to satisfactory results with France although I do by no means underestimate the difficulties of the forthcoming negotiations. The decisive point is—and this, I believe, is the view of all NATO partners—that France should undertake clear commitments for an emergency regarding her troops stationed in Germany.
In respect of the question of the future development of East-West relations the German and the United States Governments also hold the same views—which, incidentally, appear to be shared by the French Government as well as far as we are able to gather from reports available so far on the talks conducted by the French President in the Soviet Union. We should seize every reasonable opportunity to improve relations with the east European countries. In this connexion, however, I wish to assure you that any European talk without the decisive co-operation of the United States will be neither conceivable nor acceptable to the Federal Government.
Our peace note of 25 March 1966 is an attempt to prepare the ground for an understanding. We are happy to note that our NATO partners and many other Governments have shown a very positive attitude towards it. The reaction of the east European countries is, as could be expected, predominantly a negative one, although there are indications that some of them, including the Soviet Union itself, are interested in our proposal to make declarations on the non-use of force.
The disarmament negotiations in Geneva which have been resumed meet with our interest and full attention. We believe that the efforts to [Page 376] achieve a non-proliferation agreement should be continued, but that—as is provided in the American draft—the possibility must not be excluded of building up in the future a joint integrated nuclear force among those partners of the NATO alliance who are prepared to do so.
Finally I talked with Mr. Rusk about the Kennedy Round and the foreign exchange offset for the U.S. troops stationed in Germany. I am pleased to note that the preparations for the Kennedy Round have made good progress at the latest Council meeting in Brussels. The Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community has now issued mandates to the Commission concerning all hitherto open sectors of the industrial field.
The offset problem undoubtedly confronts us with difficult questions. We shall, however, do what is possible for us to find a solution acceptable also to the United States. In this connexion, however, consideration should also be given to payments and services other than the mere purchase of weapons and military equipment. In my view, which I hope is shared by you, this set of problems should, however, not be linked up with the question of the future presence in Germany of U.S. troops. This would all too easily give rise to an approach that would not do justice to the friendship between our two countries and to our common task.
I also spoke with Mr. Rusk about a meeting with you4 and told him that I shall be happy to see you again. In view of my own plans a date around 8 September would be most convenient to me, but, needless to say, I shall accept any other date which you may suggest. I know only too well—and I feel with you—what heavy responsibility rests on your shoulders just at the present time.
m.p.
With best friendly regards,
Yours very sincerely,
- Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Head of State Correspondence, Germany, Chancellor Erhard, vol. 3. Confidential. The source text is marked “Translation.”↩
- See Documents 149–152.↩
- See Document 148. A summary of the Rusk-Schroeder discussions was transmitted to the Department of State in telegram Secto 48 from Brussels, June 6. (Department of State, Central Files, POL 1 GER W–US)↩
- A memorandum of the portion of their conversation dealing with this question is ibid., Conference Files: Lot 67 D 305, CF 30.↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature and an indication that Erhard signed the original.↩