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February 24, 1958

Code Message No. 2392 from Ambassador Szymanowski in Stockholm to Ogrodziński

This document was made possible with support from Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY)

79

 

February 24, code message of the ambassador in Stockholm:

the position of the FRG regarding the Rapacki Plan

 

Top Secret!

FLASH, V. URGENT

Very urgent, deliver immediately

 

Code message No 2392

from STOCKHOLM, transmitted Feb. 24, 1958, 18.30 hrs.

 

OGRODZIŃSKI

 

I transmit a verbatim translation of a German text which the FRG ambassador handed in this afternoon. Belfrage. The document was handed in without any comment. It is titled aidé-memoire.

 

The government of the Federal Republic of Germany in connection with the aidé-memoire declares handed to him by Polish Government on February 13, 1958 via the Royal Swedish MoFA:

 

In the opinion of the federal government the Rapacki Plan is merely one of the many proposals regarding the future system of European security, which cannot be negotiated without linking it with the question of German reunification. Such negotiations are primarily the responsibility of the Four Powers, which, as the occupying powers of 1945, unequivocally recognized their commitments in the Geneva directive of heads of government of July 23, 1955. Unfortunately, the Soviet Union, as one of the powers does not manifest its willingness (ist nicht willens) to fulfill its obligation. Therefore, for the time being, the federal government does not unfortunately see any better way, in the interest of permanent security in Europe, which inconceivable without German reunification, than to repeatedly (immer wieder) remind the Soviet government about its commitment to swiftly connect German reunification with the questions of European security and have them negotiated by the Four Powers. The federal government would particularly welcome it if the Polish government were prepared to support these efforts and thus make an important contribution to peace and security in Europe. However, the federal government is prepared to study carefully the Polish memorandum in the light of the above argument.

 

/–/ SZYMANOWSKI

 

AMSZ, ZD 6/77, w. 60, t. 852

 

The FRG government requests Polish support in linking the issue of German reunification to the larger conversation about European security. The FRG wishes to remind the Soviet government of its commitment to negotiations on this issue.


Document Information

Source

Polskie dokumenty dyplomatyczne 1958 (Warszawa: Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych, 2011), Document #79, pp.184-185. Translated by Jerzy Giebułtowski.

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2019-07-23

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Record ID

208973

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Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY)