Germany and Berlin, 1969–1972


181. Telegram From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 714, Country Files, Europe, USSR, Vol. XII. Secret.


182. Message From the German State Secretary for Foreign, Defense, and German Policy (Bahr) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 60, Country Files, Europe, Egon Bahr, Berlin File [3 of 3]. Top Secret. The message, translated from the original German by the editor, was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; the text responds to questions posed by Kissinger on February 12 (see Document 180 and footnotes thereto). A handwritten note indicates that the message was received in Washington on February 16 at 1115Z. For the German text, see also Dokumente zur Deutschlandpolitik, 1971–1972, Vol. I, pp. 92–93.


184. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 58, Country Files, Europe, Berlin, Vol. 1. Secret. Sent for information. Kissinger initialed the memorandum indicating that he had seen it.


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1 [2 of 2]. Top Secret; Exclusively Eyes Only; Limited Distribution. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; no time of transmission or receipt appears on the message. Kissinger sent a nearly identical message to Bahr; the divergence in text is noted in footnote 3 below. (Ibid., Box 60, Egon Bahr, Berlin File [3 of 3])


186. Conversation Between President Nixon and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Recording of Conversation Between Nixon and Kissinger, February 23, 1971, 10:05–11:30 a.m., Oval Office, Conversation 456–5. No classification marking. According to the President’s Daily Diary, Nixon met with Kissinger in the Oval Office from 10:52 to 11:30 a.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files) The editor transcribed the portion of the conversation printed here specifically for this volume.


188. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 691, Country Files, Europe, Germany (Berlin), Vol. III. Secret. Urgent; sent for information. Kissinger initialed the memorandum; an attached form indicates that it was “noted by HAK” on March 4. The memorandum is based on an unsigned status report, attached but not printed, on the negotiations as of February 26.


189. Note From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 60, Country Files, Europe, Bahr/Rush–Backup. No classification marking. Sonnenfeldt wrote “Urgent” at the top of the page.


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1 [2 of 2]. Top Secret; Exclusively Eyes Only. Kissinger’s handwritten draft is attached to the message, which was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; no time of transmission or receipt appears on the message.


191. Letter From the Director of the Office of German Affairs (Sutterlin) to the Political Counselor at the Embassy in Germany (Dean)

Source: Department of State, EUR/CE Files: Lot 85 D 330, Incoming/Outgoing Letters 1971, JSSutterlin. Secret; Official–Informal. Copies were sent to Rush, Fessenden, and Boerner.


192. Message From the German State Secretary for Foreign, Defense, and German Policy (Bahr) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 60, Country Files, Europe, Egon Bahr, Berlin File [3 of 3]. Top Secret; Eyes Only. The message, translated here from the original German by the editor, was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington at 2059Z. In a March 11 memorandum to Kissinger, Sonnenfeldt assessed the message: “Bahr presumably is upset that the Allies intervened and obstructed his negotiations (though the resulting stonewall may have aided Bahr in obtaining these GDR concessions). He seems to acknowledge that there may have been some danger that his negotiations would undercut our negotiations. Now he sees this danger contained, but is concerned, apparently that we are taking too long term a view and (apparently) not really moving fast enough to agree on the mandate that would permit him to negotiate. Since the Bonn Group of Ambassadors is deeply involved in this tactical play, I do not see how you can intervene in it, or allow Bahr to use you to circumvent this Group. At the same time, if Bahr or the Bonn Government have specific proposals on tactics or on the substance of the four power negotiations, now is the time for them to come forward.” (Ibid.)


193. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 58, Country Files, Europe, Berlin, Vol. 2 [2 of 2]. Secret. Urgent; sent for information.


195. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 691, Country Files, Europe, Germany (Berlin), Vol. III. Confidential. Butterfield stamped the memorandum indicating that the President had seen it.


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1 [2 of 2]. Top Secret. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington at 2208Z.


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1 [2 of 2]. Top Secret; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; no time of transmission or receipt appears on the message. Kissinger sent a similar message to Bahr on March 15; the divergence in text is noted in footnote 4 below. (Ibid., Box 60, Egon Bahr, Berlin File [3 of 3])


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1 [2 of 2]. Top Secret. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington at 2047Z. A typed note indicates that the text was “dictated before Ambassador Rush left on a trip to Hamburg, but not read by him in final form.”


199. Telegram From the Embassy in Germany to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 28 GER B. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to Berlin.


201. Letter From the Soviet Ambassador (Dobrynin) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 491, President’s Trip Files, Dobrynin/Kissinger, 1971, Vol. 5 [Part 2]. No classification marking. Handwritten notations on the letter and attached draft agreement indicate that both were received from Dobrynin at 1 p.m. on March 18. That afternoon, Kissinger forwarded the documents to Rush with the following special channel message: “The best way to deal with the attached document is to send you the full text together with the note which transmitted it. On Monday [March 22] evening when I see Dobrynin, I should indicate the following: (a) what parts are acceptable, (b) what parts are generally unacceptable and why, and (c) what parts are unacceptable as stated but could perhaps form the basis of a negotiation. In any event details would be shifted into your channel even with respect to point (a). I would appreciate as full talking points as you can prepare. I would not bother you this much without major Presidential interest. Your cooperation has been superb and we are all deeply grateful. Text follows.” (Ibid., Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1 [2 of 2])


202. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 58, Country Files, Europe, Berlin, Vol. 2 [2 of 2]. Secret; Urgent. Sent for action.


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1 [2 of 2]. Top Secret. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington at 0430Z (11:30 p.m., March 21).


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1 [2 of 2]. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington at 0054Z, March 24. (7:54 p.m., March 23).


206. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Germany

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 28 GER B. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Sutterlin on March 19; cleared by Hillenbrand, Dubs, Brower, Sonnenfeldt, and Rich; and approved by Rogers. Repeated to Berlin. In a March 20 memorandum forwarding the draft telegram to Rogers, Hillenbrand explained: “Ambassador Rush considers that it would be desirable for the Western side to table a proposal for a minimal increase in Soviet offices in West Berlin at this point in order to avoid a complete impasse in the Berlin negotiations.” “While it may in time be necessary to agree to a limited increase in the Soviet presence,” he continued, “we do not believe this is warranted now.” (Ibid.)


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1 [2 of 2]. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington at 2028Z. Evidently on the basis of this message from Rush, Kissinger briefed the President by telephone at 7:25 that evening: “There was a little screwup—Abrasimov asked for a private meeting with Rush to ratify some things Dobrynin and I had to discuss—little screwup in the bureaucracy but Rush handled it beautifully.” Nixon replied: “Fine.” (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 366, Telephone Conversations, Chronological File)


209. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 691, Country Files, Europe, Germany (Berlin), Vol. III. Secret. Sent for information. The memorandum was apparently forwarded to Kissinger, who departed for San Clemente at 4:58 p.m. on March 26 and returned to Washington at 7:25 p.m. on April 5. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 438, Miscellany, 1968–76)


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

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington on March 29. The message was apparently forwarded to Kissinger in San Clemente.