US-German Relations in 1977

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009
Message Text
SECRET
PAGE 01 BONN 16075 01 OF 02 281830Z
ACTION NODS-00
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 /001 W
------------------069863 281833Z /46
P 281818Z SEP 77 ZFF 4
FM AMEMBASSY BONN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1838
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BONN 16075
NODIS
FOR THE SECRETARY AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY VEST, EUR
PLEASE PASS TO WHITE HOUSE FOR DR. BRZEZINSKI
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: PGOV, PINT, GW
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S CONVERSATION WITH CDU CHIEF
KOHL ON MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT
1. IN A MEETING WITH KOHL TODAY, MY FIRST SINCE
RETURNING FROM WASHINGTON, I OPENED THE CONVERSATION BY
EXPLAINING TO HIM THAT THE PRESIDENT'S DECISION NOT TO
MEET WITH HIM IN WASHINGTON REFLECTED NO LACK OF ESTEEM
FOR HIM PERSONALLY BUT A DECISION OF PRINCIPLE THAT THE
VICE PRESIDENT RATHER THAN THE PRESIDENT WOULD RECEIVE
OPPOSITION LEADERS. I SAID THAT THE MEETING WITH
MRS. THATCHER HAD BEEN AN EXCEPTION RESULTING FROM AN
EARLIER COMMITMENT. I ADDED THAT I WAS CONFIDENT THE
PRESIDENT WOULD BE PLEASED TO MEET WITH KOHL IF, AS I
EXPECTED, HE VISITS BONN NEXT SPRING.
2. KOHL, WHO WAS OBVIOUSLY PREPARED TO DISCUSS THIS
SUBJECT, SAID HE WAS DEEPLY DISTURBED AT THE PRESIDENT'S
DECISION. HE SAID HE BELIEVED THE DECISION REPRESENTED
A BREAK FROM A TRADITION OF SENIOR LEVEL CONTACTS
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BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND ALL RESPONSIBLE
ELEMENTS OF THE GERMAN POLITICAL SPECTRUM. HE SAID THAT
IT DISTURBED HIM PERSONALLY EVEN MORE BECAUSE IN THE
EARLY 1970'S, WHEN SPD LEADERS LIKE BRANDT AND SCHMIDT
WERE CONSPICUOUS IN THEIR FAILURE TO SUPPORT THE UNITED
STATES AGAINST VIETNAM-MOTIVATED ATTACKS FROM THE LEFT,
KOHL WAS ONE OF THE FEW GERMAN POLITICAL FIGURES WHO

CONTINUED TO SUPPORT US AND WHO, IN FACT, INSTRUCTED HIS
OWN ELEMENTS OF THE CDU TO CONTINUE JOINT PROGRAMS WITH
AMERICAN MILITARY FORCES HERE.
3. KOHL SAID HE HOPED IT WOULD BE UNDERSTOOD THAT UNDER
THE CIRCUMSTANCES HE COULD NOT MAKE A VISIT TO THE U.S.
I STRESSED THE ENHANCED IMPORTANCE OF THE VICE
PRESIDENT'S ROLE IN THE NEW ADMINISTRATION AND I TOLD
KOHL THAT WE COULD ARRANGE AN INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT
PROGRAM IN WASHINGTON FROM WHICH HE AS WELL AS WE WOULD
BENEFIT. HE REPLIED THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THIS AND THAT
HE HAD GREAT PERSONAL RESPECT FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT,
BUT THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE IN DOMESTIC GERMAN
POLITICS FOR HIM TO COME ON SUCH A VISIT.
4. KOHL SAID HE HOPED IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE
DOMESTIC SITUATION IN GERMANY WAS MOVING IN A
DIRECTION WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BRING HIM TO THE
CHANCELLORSHIP. HE DWELT AT SOME LENGTH ON THE GOVERN-
MENT'S PROBLEMS IN ECONOMIC MATTERS, ENERGY, AND
INTERNAL POLITICS (WHICH I SHALL REPORT SEPARATELY), AND
SAID THAT HE FELT NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS WOULD REFLECT A
FURTHER TREND AWAY FROM SUPPORT FOR THE PRESENT
COALITION.
5. KOHL ALSO OBSERVED THAT THE SPD, WHICH WELL UNDER-
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PAGE 03 BONN 16075 01 OF 02 281830Z
STOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF A HIGH-LEVEL RECEPTION IN
WASHINGTON, WAS DOING EVERYTHING IT COULD TO GET
MR. BRANDT AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE PRESIDENT IN ORDER
FURTHER TO UNDERCUT KOHL'S POSITION HERE. HE SAID HE
KNEW ABOUT SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS AND KNEW THE VARIOUS
CHANNELS THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND THE SPD WERE STRENU-
OUSLY EXPLOITING TO THIS END. I TOLD HIM THAT I KNEW OF
NO SUCH PLANNED APPOINTMENT.
6. I EMPHASIZED TO KOHL THAT, AS HE KNEW, WE VALUED
OUR CONTACTS WITH HIM AND HIS CDU COLLEAGUES AND
APPRECIATED THE EXCELLENT COOPERATION WE HAD ENJOYED IN
THE PAST WITH HIS PARTY. I ALSO TOLD HIM THAT SECRETARY
SCHLESINGER WAS PLEASED TO ACCEPT HIS INVITATION FOR AN
EARLY BREAKFAST MEETING ON OCTOBER 7 IN FRANKFURT. KOHL
WAS GRATIFIED BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT MOLLIFIED.
7. IN ANOTHER CONNECTIONDURING THE LATTER PART OF

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PAGE 01 BONN 16075 02 OF 02 281827Z
ACTION NODS-00
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 /001 W
------------------069812 281834Z /45
P 281818Z SEP 77 ZFF 4
FM AMEMBASSY BONN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1839
S E C R E T SECTION 02 OF 02 BONN 16075
NODIS
THE CONVERSATION, KOHL SPOKE ABOUT THE MAJOR EFFORTS
THAT THE SOVIET UNION AND THE EAST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
HAD BEEN MAKING DURING THE LAST SIX MONTHS TO EXPAND
THEIR CONTACTS WITH HIM AND WITH THE CDU. HE SUGGESTED
THAT SUCH CONTACTS MIGHT BE MOTIVATED BY AN APPRECIA-
TION OF FUTURE TRENDS IN GERMAN POLITICS.
8. COMMENT: ALTHOUGH THIS MEETING WITH KOHL WAS
DIFFICULT BECAUSE, AS A LONG-STANDING FRIEND OF THE
U.S., HE IS CLEARLY DISAPPOINTED THAT HE WILL NOT BE
RECEIVED BY THE PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE WE CAN CONTAIN THE
DAMAGE. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT WE PLAN FOR A
MEETING BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND KOHL IF THE PRESIDENT
VISITS BONN, AND WOULD ALSO EXPRESS THE HOPE THAT OTHER
SENIOR OFFICIALS COMING HERE WILL MAKE AN EFFORT TO
MEET WITH KOHL. ALTHOUGH I AM LESS CONFIDENT THAN KOHL
THAT HE IS ASSURED OF STEPPING INTO THE CHANCELLORSHIP,
IT IS CLEAR THAT SUCH A DEVELOPMENT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE
AND THAT WE MUST TREAT HIM AS A SERIOUS POLITICAL
FIGURE TO BE RECKONED WITH. I ASSUME FROM HIS REMARKS
THAT THE SOVIETS ARE SO TREATING HIM, AND THAT
PERHAPS THERE MAY BE A VISIT BY HIM TO THE SOVIET
UNION.
9. I FURTHER RECOMMEND THAT, WHATEVER ARGUMENTS MAY
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PAGE 02 BONN 16075 02 OF 02 281827Z
BE MADE FOR A MEETING BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND BRANDT

IN THE LATTER'S IMF OR OTHER CAPACITIES, SUCH A MEETING
NOT REPEAT NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO ARRANGE
A MEETING BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND KOHL. A SIMILAR
RECOMMENDATION WOULD APPLY, OF COURSE, IN THE CASE OF
OTHER GERMAN NON-GOVERNMENTAL POLITICAL FIGURES WHO MIGHT
SEEK AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE PRESIDENT.
STOESSEL
SECRET
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Message Attributes
Automatic Decaptioning: X
Capture Date: 01-Jan-1994 12:00:00 am
Channel Indicators: n/a
Current Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Concepts: OPPOSITION PARTIES, DIPLOMATIC DISCUSSIONS, CAT-B
Control Number: n/a
Copy: SINGLE
Sent Date: 28-Sep-1977 12:00:00 am
Decaption Date: 01-Jan-1960 12:00:00 am
Decaption Note:
Disposition Action: RELEASED
Disposition Approved on Date:
Disposition Case Number: n/a
Disposition Comment: 25 YEAR REVIEW
Disposition Date: 22 May 2009
Disposition Event:
Disposition History: n/a
Disposition Reason:
Disposition Remarks:
Document Number: 1977BONN16075
Document Source: CORE
Document Unique ID: 00
Drafter: n/a
Enclosure: n/a
Executive Order: GS
Errors: N/A
Expiration:
Film Number: P840084-1502
Format: TEL
From: BONN
Handling Restrictions: n/a
Image Path:
ISecure: 1
Legacy Key: link1977/newtext/t19770914/aaaaalob.tel
Line Count: 177
Litigation Code IDs:
Litigation Codes:
Litigation History:
Locator: TEXT ON-LINE, ON MICROFILM
Message ID: 8ac38c3b-c288-dd11-92da-001cc4696bcc
Office: ACTION NODS
Original Classification: SECRET
Original Handling Restrictions: n/a
Original Previous Classification: n/a
Original Previous Handling Restrictions: NODIS
Page Count: 4
Previous Channel Indicators: n/a
Previous Classification: SECRET
Previous Handling Restrictions: NODIS
Reference: n/a
Retention: 0
Review Action: RELEASED, APPROVED
Review Content Flags:
Review Date: 05-Apr-2005 12:00:00 am
Review Event:
Review Exemptions: n/a
Review Media Identifier:
Review Release Date: n/a
Review Release Event: n/a
Review Transfer Date:
Review Withdrawn Fields: n/a
SAS ID: 1108402
Secure: OPEN
Status: NATIVE
Subject: AMBASSADOR'S CONVERSATION WITH CDU CHIEF KOHL ON MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT
TAGS: PGOV, PINT, GE, US
To: STATE SS MULTIPLE
Type: TE
vdkvgwkey: odbc://SAS/SAS.dbo.SAS_Docs/8ac38c3b-c288-dd11-92da-001cc4696bcc
Review Markings:
Margaret P. Grafeld
Declassified/Released
US Department of State
EO Systematic Review
22 May 2009
Markings: Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009

US-German Relations in 1977

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