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

258. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)¹

Washington, June 18, 1971.

SUBJECT

• Berlin: Soviet Presence; Ambassador Rush’s Instructions

After the meeting yesterday with Bahr, Sutterlin prepared a cable of instructions for Ambassador Rush centering on the issue of Soviet presence in West Berlin in response to Rush’s cable of June 8 (Tab B).² (This dealt with increased Soviet presence short of a Consulate General.) Sutterlin has sent informally a copy of the proposed instruction cable (Tab A)³ and has asked for White House reaction. Evidently, he anticipates difficulty in getting the cable cleared at Defense, and so is looking for a green light of some sort from here in order to be able to force Defense’s hand.

The instruction is generally consistent with NSDM 106 (Tab C),⁴ except that the instruction should contain an express point relating to the necessity to distance the actual presence from the conclusion and implementation of a Berlin agreement. There may also be some question whether the fairly extensive list of concessions can properly be considered consistent with the NSDM’s authorization of only a “limited number” of Soviet offices which do not imply an official Soviet presence.

Even though Defense’s objection to any increase in the Soviet presence has already been overruled by the NSDM, it does not seem a good idea to give State an informal green light which it will then use against Defense. Unless, to avoid delay, you wish to take this up directly with Secretary Laird, I believe that I should tell State to handle the instruction in the normal fashion, i.e., seek Defense clearance and then send to White House, or failing Defense clearance, send a split position to the White House. This latter contingency would then presumably lead to reaffirmation of the NSDM and a second overruling of Defense.

Guidance Requested:

Let State seek clearances in normal way.⁵

Other

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 692, Country Files, Europe, Germany (Berlin), Vol. IV. Secret; Sensitive. Urgent; sent for action.
2. Document 250.
3. Attached but not printed. For the final instructions, see Document 260.
4. Document 225.
5. Kissinger initialed his approval on June 21 with the following handwritten caveat: “but in time for next meeting. Though if we are going to overrule Defense anyway why not give them an inkling?”