Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XXVII, Western Europe

122. Telegram From the Embassy in the Federal Republic of Germany to the Department of State¹

18438.

Bonn, October 15, 1979, 1707Z

SUBJECT

• (C) Schmidt Angered by News Reports Concerning Albrecht’s Mission on FRG Defense Budget.

REF:

• (A) ICA press review, October 15, 1979.²
• (B) Bonn 18402 DTG 131759Z Oct 79.³
• (C) Bonn 15779 DTG 061816Z Sep 79.⁴

1. (U) This is an action cable; see para 8.

2. (C) On the evening of October 12, the FRG press spokesman, Klaus Boelling, told the Public Affairs Counselor that Chancellor Schmidt was very angry over press reports that the Minister President of Lower Saxony, Hans Albrecht (CDU), had received a “mission” from National Security Adviser Brzezinski during Albrecht’s recent visit to Washington.⁵ Based on Albrecht’s comments, the press stories claimed that Dr. Brzezinski had told Albrecht that he (Albrecht) should make it his “mission” to keep the German Government from dodging its commitment to achieve a three percent real increase in its defense budget. Boelling said he had rarely known the Chancellor to become as angry as he was over these reports.

3. (C) Boelling said that it was, of course, the Chancellor’s view that to give a message to a government via its opposition would be an incorrect way to carry out diplomacy, particularly among allies. Boelling pointed out that Albrecht was “not the German Foreign Minister.”

4. (C) Boelling went on to say that he had the Chancellor’s approval to make the government’s displeasure with these stories known. (Boelling later did this on background with a small circle of journalists.)

5. (U) Die Welt subsequently on October 13 front-paged a story describing the Chancellor’s “anger” over the representations which Dr. Brzezinski allegedly made to Albrecht. The headline reads: “Schmidt Angry at USA; Albrecht is Not a Minister” (See Ref A).

6. (U) The International Herald Tribune of October 15 also front pages a story entitled “Bonn Angered at Remarks on Defense by Brzezinski.” The story, taken from the New York Times, says an aide to the Chancellor described Schmidt as “furious” over the reported Brzezinski/Albrecht conversation.⁶ The story says that what angered the Schmidt government about Albrecht’s version of Dr. Brzezinski’s remarks is that they gave the impression the Chancellor was not capable of being trusted with the situation and that Dr. Brzezinski appeared to think a CDU politician would do a better job of pressing for additional defense funds.

7. (C) Comment. The appearance of the Albrecht stories at this time—coming as they did just after the Schmidt government had reached its important decision on LRTNF (Ref B) but before the decision had been made public—was probably particularly disturbing for Schmidt. End comment.

8. (C) Action requested: As we reported in Ref C, the defense budget issue is becoming highly politicized within the FRG.⁷ The Albrecht stories have now provided dramatic evidence of this situation and Washington might wish to keep this factor in mind as it deals with Germans. In addition, since the Embassy expects to receive questions from the public media on the Albrecht stories, we would appreciate Washington guidance on an appropriate response.⁸

Stoessel

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790472–0460. Confidential; Immediate. Sent for information Immediate to SECDEF, ICA, and USNATO. Sent for information Priority to USNMR SHAPE, London, Paris, Brussels, The Hague, Rome, Luxumbourg, Oslo, Moscow, USCINCEUR, CINCUSAREUR, and CINCUSAFE.
2. Not found.
3. Telegram 18402 from Bonn, October 13, reported that in an interview scheduled for radio broadcast on October 14, Schmidt said that the TNF production and deployment decisions should be taken at the same time at the December NAC meeting. He also announced that the West German Cabinet had given “a ‘green light’ for the necessary TNF modernization decision in NATO in December.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790470–0252)
4. See footnote 2, Document 187.
5. No memorandum of conversation has been found for Brzezinski’s meeting with Albrecht. Telegram 273768 to Bonn, October 19, reported on Albrecht’s October 12 meetings with Christopher, Newsom, Smith, and Vest. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790480–1130)
6. Reference is to John Vinocur, “Bonn is Annoyed at Brzezinski on Arms Budget Issue,” New York Times, October 14, 1979, p. 3.
7. In telegram 17408 from Bonn, September 29, Stoessel reported that on September 27, he had briefly discussed the defense budget with Apel. Stoessel reported that Apel “regretted that the media had played up the problem to the extent that it had, and particularly the distorted version given by the press of Secretary Brown’s letter to him. The press pictured the letter as having been threatening in tone and ‘waving a big stick at the FRG.’ Nothing could be further from the truth, Apel said, but nevertheless the press play would make it much more difficult for him in his efforts to redress the situation. If the budget is now increased, it will be made to appear that the FRG has caved in to US pressure, and Apel said he was uncomfortable at this prospect.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790451–0336)
8. In an October 18 message to Brzezinski and Aaron on his meetings in Bonn, Blackwill wrote on the Albrecht issue: “I hit Klaus Blech hard on this dustup, stressed it was nonsense that you would have given Albrecht such a mission as Chancellery could easily have confirmed had it bothered to call us. Said Schmidt’s outburst was especially unfortunate at a time when we are approaching TNF denouement which will require the closest possible US-German cooperation. Blech replied that the Foreign Ministry had not been consulted before Boelling’s public statement and that it would be useful if I made the same points to Chancellery. I will do so October 18.” (Message from Blackwill to Brzezinski and Aaron, October 18; Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Cables, Box 122, 9–10/79)