Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XX, Eastern Europe

125. Memorandum of Conversation¹

Washington, March 29, 1979, 9:30 a.m.

SUBJECT

• US–GDR Relations

PARTICIPANTS

• The Deputy Secretary
• David B. Bolen, Ambassador to the GDR
• David K. Edminster, Deputy Director, EUR/CE

The Deputy Secretary opened the conversation by asking Ambassador Bolen to summarize his hopes for the US–GDR relationship and discuss the problems in that relationship.²

Ambassador Bolen said there were obvious problems stemming from the long period when the two countries had no relations with each other: there was still a certain residue of negativism on both sides. Despite this, he had good access to the GDR leadership and we are able to talk frankly with them, even on the political level. He mentioned in this connection Ms. Derian’s having been received by the GDR³—a thing which had surprised some people.

For the future, the Ambassador thought we had significant opportunities to expand our relations with the GDR in ways which would help us to realize some of our objectives there with regard to: e.g., GDR behavior with respect to Berlin, Africa and the Middle East; human rights; cooperation in narcotics matters. The Ambassador was convinced that neither the Soviets nor the FRG had any serious objection to an expansion of US–GDR relations; he mentioned in this connection his conversations with the FRG Permanent Representative to the GDR, Gaus, who had assured Ambassador Bolen that he saw no problems from the standpoint of his government.⁴

With regard to the Consular Convention, Ambassador Bolen commented that we had achieved a breakthrough following his meeting of January 22 with Hermann Axen,⁵ which had resulted in Ambassador Grunert’s presentation of new language on the nationality issue which was acceptable to us, the UK, and the FRG, but which was still causing problems for the French.⁶ The Ambassador thought that if we could not bring the French around in the near future the only sensible alternative was to break the linkage we had hitherto maintained between the conclusion of the Consular Convention and the development of US–GDR relations in other areas.

With regard to MFN, Ambassador Bolen said he was not arguing that we should necessarily grant it to the GDR now but that we ought not to reply to this primary GDR concern with a categorical no; we ought to make them understand that their actions on various issues in which we are interested, including human rights matters and claims, could have a positive influence on the prospects for MFN.

Mr. Christopher observed that, while the GDR was perhaps doing as much as it could, its present performance could not match the Soviet record. Jackson-Vanik was pretty specific. We did not expect any repeal of it but we did think that we could find ways of bringing China and the USSR through it. The GDR, however, could not match up on the basis of general performance and certainly not if one included their record on emigration in the equation.

Ambassador Bolen conceded that emigration from the GDR remained a serious problem. He thought the record had improved, however, and cited the following figures: 1970—540 family reunification cases; 1977—3,500; 1978—4,600. Between 1974 and 1978, he added, there were 190 family reunification cases involving Americans. The Embassy had made representations in 118 of those cases, 85 of which have been resolved positively.

Mr. Christopher conceded that the record might be better than he knew but said that he still had the impression that it was very difficult to get out of the GDR. Ambassador Bolen stressed that he talks to the Foreign Minister personally about humanitarian cases and leaves lists with the Minister of cases which we wish urgently to have cleared up. The GDR had made some effort to meet our desires on this score.

In conclusion, Mr. Christopher observed that the important thing was that our relations with the GDR were on an upward trend—perhaps only a very gentle rise, but upward nonetheless.

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Office of Analysis for the Commonwealth and Eastern Europe, Office Subject Files, 1967–1985, Lot 92D404, Box 6, US (Political) 1979–1980. Confidential. Drafted by Edminster; cleared by Bolen; approved by Trattner. The meeting took place in the Deputy Secretary’s office.
2. See Document 124. The Department cabled a revised text to the Embassy on February 3 in telegram 28968 to East Berlin. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790052–0616) The Embassy cabled its implementation plan in telegram 620 from East Berlin, February 6. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790056–0899)
3. See Document 123.
4. No record of the meeting was found
5. In telegram 382 from East Berlin, January 24, Bolen reported his January 22 conversation with SED Politburo Secretary Hermann Axen. During the conversation, Axen stressed the need to improve economic and cultural relations between the two countries and that “the United States must acknowledge that the GDR has citizens.” If the U.S. Government would officially recognize that fact, Axen told the Ambassador, “we take these few words and put them down on paper we can drink a glass to this right away.” Bolen assured Axen that the U.S. Government “clearly recognize GDR citizenship and that GDR Consuls have a right of access to GDR citizens” and that “there exists a basis for resolution in the U.S. proposed mirror-image statement.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790036–0713) See also footnote 6 below.
6. In late 1978, having failed to reach an agreement on issuing a statement on nationality, the Department proposed a new solution to the issue. Dubbed the “Circle of People” approach, the proposal sought to clarify, in mirror statements, that each country would have access to its citizens held under arrest in the other country. Goodby delivered the proposal to Grunert on November 3, 1978, in a tour d’horizon meeting at the Department. (Telegram 280985 to East Berlin and Bonn, November 4, 1978; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780455–0667) As the Department prepared to make its proposal known to the East German Government, the French representative in the Bonn Group raised objections to the statements, suggesting that the text conferred recognition to the East German Government of an East German nationality. Reporting on the French concerns, Stoessel noted that the French representative also “indicated to us privately that Paris takes a dim view of the protracted bilateral US–FRG discussions of the text.” (Telegram 21614 from Bonn, November 24, 1978; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780484–1108) The Department of State reply in telegram 300497 to Bonn, November 28, 1978, instructed Stoessel that the matter should be dropped unless the French bring it up. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780489–0629)