250. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Germany1
124590. Ref: Bonn 9053.2 For Ambassador from the Secretary.
1. I believe it would be worthwhile for you to go and see Brandt and tell him that with regard to the proposed visit to Hanoi by an official SPD delegation (reftel), the decision is one of course to be taken by Brandt and his party. Brandt should, however, be aware of the fact that the SPD by authorizing an official delegation is in effect associating the Government of the Federal Republic with this trip. Hanoi is sure to interpret the trip this way and so it would be seen here too. While it would not be the first visit by individual Parliamentarians from a non-Communist country, a trip by a group of German Parliamentarians approved by the leadership of the SPD would be interpreted as lack of support for the U.S. on the part of the government of one of its principal Allies. I believe it would not be out of order to suggest to Brandt that such a visit to Hanoi would be seen in much the same light as many Germans would view the visit of an official US Congressional delegation (made up of one of our two major parties) to East Germany.3
- Source: Department of State, Central Files,POL 7 GER W. Confidential; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Puhan, cleared by Leddy and EA, and approved by Rusk. Also sent to Saigon.↩
- Telegram 9053, March 4, reported on the plans of three SPD Deputies to visit Hanoi. (Ibid., POL 7 GER W)↩
- In telegram 127694, March 9, the Department of State transmitted the text of Brandt’s letter to Rusk clarifying the status of the SPD delegation and its mission. (Ibid.) In telegram 127761, March 9, the Department of State transmitted the text of a letter from Rusk to Brandt expressing the Secretary of State’s thanks and appreciation for the information contained in Brandt’s earlier message. (Ibid.)↩