Office of the Historian

299. Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Ambassador to Germany (Rush)1

San Clemente, August 18, 1971.

Given the bureaucratic situation here you should go along with Secretary Rogers and ask for no more than a two week recess in negotiations to permit review of draft agreement prior to final commitment. You should assure Falin that there will be no difficulties this end, that if State makes trouble we will force issue to White House for decision. We shall stand behind you. I shall reassure Dobrynin at this end. You should contemplate initialing for first few days of September.2

Best regards.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 2. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message was forwarded to the White House, where it was received at 2218Z, and then sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt.↩
  2. Rush replied by special channel on August 19: “Your message of August 18 reached me as I was sending mine to you today [Document 302]. Thanks very much for your complete reassurance and backing which are, of course, essential. Sec. Rogers message [Document 297] reached me about 9 last evening after almost everything was settled, including the fact that the Ambassadors would hold a meeting next Monday to clear up relatively minor issues, go over the agreement for accuracy, and cover up the fact for the press and other media that an agreement reached. You now have doubtless received my cable reply to the Secretary [Document 301]. I shall do all I can to help clear up the bureaucratic situation, which fortunately did not get out of hand before an agreement was reached. Many thanks and warm regards to you and the President.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Country Files, Europe, Box 59, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 2)↩