Cabinet Secretaries' notebooks (CAB 195/20): Germany: Berlin
(a) Talks with General de Gaulle.
P.M.
Mtgs. of Heads of Govts. - bilateral, but no sign of multi-lateral.
Mr K. wants to negotiate. We are nearing to negotiatg posn - tho'
Dr A.'s posn is too narrow. de G. remains opposed: for he
fears German resentment at "another Versailles" when G.
becomes a strong nation against, and he wants Fr. to have no
part in that: content to leave Anglo-Saxons to the dirty work.
This puts us in diffy - as shown in my message.
K. is prob. willing to wait - for a bit.
H.
Schroder says no alternative to negotn. Looks as tho' G. can be brght.
along. Essential ingredients & formula for D.D.R. & something
on frontier. Believe G. in the end will accept those: tho' A.
dared says so now for fear of leaks. N.A. Council will press for
negotns. Ultimate ques. is wtr. we go on w'out French. May
need a mtg. of W. Heads of Govts. to settle that ques.
Where de G. is wrong is tht. sitn on the ground in Berlin is
dangerous.
P.M.
Will circulate records of mtg. with de G. - see and return.
Impressions of de Gaulle.
I mght. have bn. reluctant to press him on G. if that wd. have made
more diff. on C. Market. But looks as tho' he is as stiff on that
as on G. This being so, we prob. risk little on C. Market by
pressing him on G. and isolating the French.
Au fond, de G. believed that Anglo-Saxons will avert war and he
will be able to say nous sommes trahis but enjoy the benefits.
Choice for us now: do we bring pressure from bottom up, or do
we have a mtg. of Heads of Govts. H. and I will consider,
with Mr K.
