91. Telegram 24423 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Federal Republic of Germany, February 6, 1974, 0214Z.1 2

SUBJECT:

  • SECRETARY-GROMYKO DISCUSSION OF BERLIN PROBLEM

PAGE 01 STATE 024423

71

ORIGIN SS-30

INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 SSO-00 NSCE-00 /031 R

DRAFTED BY EUR/CE:SGEORGE:EMT

APPROVED BY THE SECRETARY

EUR - MR. STABLER

C - MR. SONNENFELDT

S/S - SRGAMMON

EUR - AAHARTMAN

074177

O 060214Z FEB 74

FM SECSTATE WASHDC

TO AMEMBASSY BONN IMMEDIATE

AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE

AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE

AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE

INFO USMISSION BERLIN IMMEDIATE

USMISSION NATO IMMEDIATE

SECRET STATE 024423

EXDIS

E.O. 11652: GDS

TAGS: PFOR, UR

1. DURING FEBRUARY 4 MEETING BETWEEN SECRETARY AND FONMIN GROMYKO, BERLIN ACCESS PROBLEM WAS DISCUSSED ALONG FOLLOWING LINES:

GROMYKO RAISED MATTER, STATING THAT ESTABLISHMENT FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY (FEA) IN BERLIN IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO RELEVANT CLAUSES QUADRIPARTITE AGREEMENT (QA) WHICH PROHIBIT ESTABLISHMENT FRG BODIES IN BERLIN. HE SAID HIS GOVERNMENT AMAZED THAT ALLIES HAVE APPROVED AND ATTEMPTED JUSTIFY ACTION TAKEN BY FRG IN FLAGRANT CONTRADICTION OF QA. HE POSTULATED THAT PERHAPS INITIATIVE TOWARD SETTING UP FEA WAS TAKEN BY FORCES IN WEST GERMANY

SECRET

PAGE 02 STATE 024423

HOSTILE TO QA, AND THAT ALLIES FELT THEY HAD TO SUPPORT FRG OUT OF SENTIMENT OR EXPEDIENCY, BUT SOVIET UNION CANNOT CONSIDER SUPPORT FOR SUCH REASONS JUSTIFIED. HE ASKED HOW SITUATION IN VIOLATION OF QA, AND TENDING UNDERMINE IT, CAN BE REMEDIED.

2. SECRETARY RESPONDED THAT QA PERMITS NEW TIES BETWEEN WEST BERLIN AND FRG. WHAT IT PROHIBITS ARE ACTIONS WHICH WOULD MAKE FRG GOVERNING POWER OVER WEST BERLIN. FEA, EVEN THOUGH LOCATED IN WEST BERLIN, OPERATES IN FRG IN SENSE OF EFFECT OF ITS ACTIONS. NO QUESTION THAT SOME THINGS ARE PERMISSIBLE IN WEST BERLIN AND SOME IMPERMISSIBLE. ALLIES ARE PREPARED DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THEM AND VETO LATTER. ACTION TO SET UP FEA CANNOT BE UNDONE.

3. GROMYKO REITERATED THAT QA STATES FLATLY THAT WEST BERLIN CANNOT BE ADMINISTERED BY FRG AND ASKED HOW WE CAN DEAL WITH PROBLEM.

4. GROMYKO ALLUDED TO POSSIBILITY OF CONSULTATION TO DISCUSS QA AND TAKE STEPS INSURE FULL IMPLEMENTATION. (HE DID NOT ACTUALLY PROPOSE CONSULTATION.) HE THEN SAID THAT THIS FEA STEP WILL CERTAINLY PRODUCE A REACTION IN GDR, WHICH CANNOT ACT AS A BYSTANDER. HE EXPRESSED HOPE USG WILL TAKE PROBLEM SERIOUSLY AND GIVE IT FULL ATTENTION IN ORDER FIND REMEDY.

5. SECRETARY SAID HE WOULD LOOK FURTHER INTO SITUATION, BUT URGED GROMYKO TO URGE GDR NOT RPT NOT CARRY OUT AUTOBAHN HARASSMENT.

6. FOR BONN, LONDON, PARIS. YOU ARE AUTHORIZED INFORM HOST GOVERNMENTS OF FOREGOING. BONN MAY ALSO DISCUSS IN BONN GROUP. KISSINGER

SECRET

<< END OF DOCUMENT >>

  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, P740146-1810. Secret; EXDIS; Immediate. Drafted by George (EUR/CE); cleared by Stabler, Hartman, and Sonnenfeldt; and approved by Kissinger. Repeated to London, Paris, Moscow, Berlin, NATO. The memorandum of conversation of Kissinger’s February 4 conversation with Gromyko is scheduled to be printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XV, Soviet Union, 1972–1974.
  2. The Department reported on Kissinger’s meeting with Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko and the Soviet objections to the establishment of a German Federal Environmental Office in West Berlin.