Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969–1972

106. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon¹

Washington, August 17, 1970.

SUBJECT

• West German Appraisal of the Moscow Treaty

[11/2 lines not declassified] The report delivered by Scheel [less than 1 line not declassified] naturally painted the treaty in favorable terms. At the end of his report, however, Scheel summed up his evaluation in expansive terms. [less than 1 line not declassified] he said (my underlining):²

“After the FRG signs the treaty, the West Germans will regain an important role in worldwide political developments. The Four Powers will not be able to make decisions without consulting West Germany. The United States and the USSR will have to consult the FRG in questions concerning all parts of the world. Consequently, the FRG has a greater responsibility in worldwide politics. Scheel said that the big powers will, in the future, have to take into consideration the maintenance of proper relations with the FRG; this applies especially to the Western Powers.”

[less than 1 line not declassified] after this oration, one of the participants in the meeting commented that Scheel could not possibly mean this and wondered who put him up to it.

The point here, however, is that the tone of self-assertiveness has been reflected in other German comments since the new government took office. The potential for trouble from careless rhetoric and overestimation of the shrewdness of German diplomacy is obvious if one thinks of how such remarks would be read in Paris or London. Indeed, one of the interesting aspects of European reaction to Brandt’s Eastern policy has been the rapprochement between the French and British.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 684, Country Files, Europe, Germany, Vol. VII. Secret. Sent for information. A stamped note on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it. According to another copy, Hyland drafted the memorandum on August 14. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 291, Memoranda to the President, 1969–74, July–Aug. 1970)
2. Printed here as italics.