Office of the Historian

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

Washington, September 14, 1968, 1705Z.

238769. Subject: Brandt Letter to Secretary.

1.
The following is text of English translation letter from FonMin Brandt, delivered to Secretary September 10:
  • “Dear Dean,
  • “I thank you sincerely for your letters of 2 and 6 September 1968.2 On the same day that I received your letter of September 6, I asked Ambassador Cabot Lodge to inform you that I felt that a meeting of foreign ministers before 10 October would be most useful. Our other thoughts in this connection have been discussed by the ambassador and State Secretary Duckwitz.
  • “In reply to your letter of 2 September, I wish to confirm that the events in Czechoslovakia and the resultant change in the strategic situation in Central Europe have been a source of great concern in the government and public in the Federal Republic of Germany. The government, parliament and the public are convinced that, as a consequence of the Soviet aggression, the Atlantic and European structures urgently need strengthening so that the long-term peace policy we all desire can be continued.
  • “For this reason I was pleased to comply with your suggestion that talks might be held with the French Government on the basis of the Franco-German Treaty of January 22, 1963 on the question of French cooperation in Western defense. On September 7, Foreign Minister Debre and I had one of the consultations at ministerial level provided for in that treaty.
  • “According to Mr. Debre, the French government are of the opinion that a return to the cold war will have to be prevented. On the other hand, they feel there can be no question of continuing the policy of détente as long as Soviet troops remain in Czechoslovakia, and that whilst economic relations between East and West should be developed further the Soviet Union should again and again be given the responsibility of restoring the conditions essential to the continuation of the policy of détente.
  • “With regard to military security, I suggested to Debre that the present Franco-German study group for problems of European security in [Page 742] the seventies should make a concrete assessment of the military situation in view of the changes caused by the events in Czechoslovakia. Debre agreed with this proposal.
  • “I am not sure whether the proposed security talks will eventually bring France closer to joint defense efforts of the alliance. Nevertheless, I think they will provide a favorable opportunity to gain a better idea of French views and intentions and to explain to the French the conclusions that force themselves upon us on account of the events in Czechoslovakia.
  • “As regards the question of a meeting of foreign ministers of the NATO countries, the French recommend that the regular December ministerial conference should be brought forward a few weeks. In their opinion, a meeting of foreign ministers at the present time would be too spectacular and would not be in a position to make decisions now. I told Debre that I had agreed to a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in the first half of October but would prefer it to be held in Washington.
  • “As soon as the planned Franco-German talks on security questions have produced some results I shall not fail to inform you about them.
  • “With kind regard, (signed) Willy Brandt”
2.
Secretary’s response will be sent by septel.3
Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files,POL 15–1 GER W. Secret. Drafted by Malin; cleared by Puhan and Moffat, and approved by Johnpoll. Repeated to Paris, London, and USNATO.↩
  2. Not found.↩
  3. Telegram 241274 to Bonn, September 19. In it Rusk indicated that Brandt’s report reinforced his pessimism on French views. (Ibid.)↩