Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969–1972

237. Message From the Ambassador to Germany (Rush) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)¹

Bonn, May 12, 1971.

1. Thanks for your message of May 11,² the instructions of which I shall, of course, follow closely. We have some serious problems, however. As I mentioned in my message of yesterday, a further meeting with Falin has been set for May 19, following the London working level meeting. I shall cancel this so far as my attendance is concerned. However, Bahr may take a strong stand with regard to his seeing Falin alone, something which, as you know, he has done rather frequently for some time, according to our intelligence information. Also, since the Chancellor and Bahr have been pressing hard to give to Falin the substantive portions of the Bahr draft, it will be very difficult to persuade them not to do so, particularly since the meeting with Falin on May 10 seemed to go so well and has aroused high hopes with the Chancellor and Bahr for real progress. I assume that I should make every effort to attempt to persuade them not to pass the substantive parts to Falin and, in fact, for Bahr not to have private meetings with Falin concerning Berlin. Please give me your thoughts concerning this as soon as possible.

2. I shall be in Washington for a few days at the time of Brandt’s visit to the President on June 15. At that time I hope we can have a private, full discussion of tactics and strategies and of your thinking. This would be extremely helpful to me.³

Warm regards.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt. No time of transmission is on the message; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington at 1638Z.
2. Document 236.
3. Kissinger replied by special channel on May 12: “Thank you for your informative cables of May 11 and 12. The obstacles to your attending the next meeting have been substantially removed though if it could be conveniently delayed a few days say to the week of May 24 it would still be very helpful. But I prefer you to attend than to have Bahr go to the meeting alone. Do your best to get a postponement. I agree that at the next meeting you should give Falin the substantive portions of the draft. Incidentally, I think it is highly inappropriate for Bahr to argue with you in front of Falin and I shall tell him so. As for introducing the new approach to the Four Powers I believe it might be best for Bahr to do so but we are open-minded. I look forward to seeing you in June. Keep up the good work.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1)