Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XV, Germany and Berlin

162. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Germany¹

Washington, August 25, 1966, 3:48 p.m.

34931. Please deliver following Presidential message, dated August 25, to Chancellor Erhard:

“Dear Mr. Chancellor:

This is just a note to thank you for your full account of your conversation with General de Gaulle in Bonn.² I am most grateful to have your personal impressions.

I am looking forward to our meeting in September. We can then discuss in full the problems raised for us both by the General, as well as the other questions of joint concern, some of which were touched on in your letter of July 5.³

In the meanwhile, I should like to make only one point—about the difficult question of offset.

I know that you and I are agreed that the current offset agreement will be fully met and provided for in your new budget and legislative program. The problem of forces, deployments—and the sharing of the foreign exchange burden—after the middle of next year, raises more difficult questions. We shall have to work hard to find a solution that will be both equitable and fully meet the defense requirements of the Alliance.

To this end, I would propose that the United States join the Federal Republic and the United Kingdom in an initial exploration of these matters during the next several weeks. I would hope that the discussions could involve our ministers of finance, as well as of foreign affairs and defense. Such triprartite exploration could then be followed by thorough consultation with all our allies in NATO.

I very much hope that this proposal will be agreeable to you and to Prime Minister Wilson—and that, until we have come to a joint conclusion, we can all avoid any budgetary or other decisions which would unduly narrow our choices.

Ambassador McGhee will be in touch with you about this proposal in the near future. In the meanwhile, Mr. Chancellor, let me say that I think of you often. Your friendship is a source of strength and comfort to me in these difficult times.⁴

With warm personal regards,

Sincerely, Lyndon B. Johnson”

Rusk

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files,POL GER W–US. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. The text of the telegram was received from the White House.
2. See Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, vol. XIII, Document 194.
3. Document 155.
4. In a September 9 reply, Erhard suggested that the President’s proposals be discussed during his visit to the United States. (Telegram 44219 to Bonn, September 9; Department of State, Central Files, POL GER W–US)