A MAIN GERMAN QUESTION the Evolution of the FRG's Multilateral
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
IMT Institute for Advanced Studies, Lucca Lucca, Italy A MAIN GERMAN QUESTION The Evolution of the FRG’s Multilateral Policy of Détente in a Decade of Major Crises and Changes, 1975-1985 PhD Program in Political Systems and Institutional Change XXVI Cycle By Paola Varotto 2015 The dissertation of Paola Varotto is approved. Program Coordinator: Prof. Giovanni Orsina, LUISS Guido Carli Supervisor: Prof. Antonio Varsori, University of Padua Tutor: Dr. Lucia Bonfreschi, LUISS Guido Carli Tutor: Dr. Maria Elena Cavallaro, LUISS Guido Carli The dissertation of Paola Varotto has been reviewed by: Prof. Wilfried Loth, University of Duisburg-Essen Prof. Federico Romero, European University Institute IMT Institute for Advanced Studies, Lucca 2015 Contents Vita and Publications x Abbreviations xi Abstract xiii Introduction 1 Object and arguments of the thesis 3 Defining the time period: years of crises, years of changes 6 Defining the context: West German foreign policy between continuity and change 11 Elements of continuity 11 The constitutional moment of Bonn’s Eastern policy 14 In the name of responsibility 15 Literature review and contribution of the work 17 Approach and Sources 24 Structure of the work 26 v Chapter 1 The Seminal Moment in Helsinki: Laying the Foundations for a Multilateral Policy of Détente (1975-1976) 29 Introduction 29 The Helsinki CSCE as a “curious diplomatic enterprise” 34 Assessing the West German victory in Helsinki 38 Fostering human and security aspects of détente 40 Involving the U.S. in European détente 42 Coordinating with the West and multilateralising national interests 45 Keeping the German question out, keeping the German question open 47 Puzzling the West German victory in Helsinki 53 A concerted Western strategy for the process of implementation 62 Time for a first assessment of the CSCE 67 Chapter 2 Putting the FRG’s Realistic Policy of Détente to the Test: West German Diplomacy at the First CSCE Follow-up Meeting in Belgrade (1977-1978) 70 Introduction: Domestic and international developments paving the way to the first CSCE follow-up meeting in Belgrade 70 Fostering a Western common concept of détente 76 Fostering a Western common agenda for Belgrade 80 Clashing visions and strategies of détente 85 vi Pursuing transatlantic harmony in public policy 91 The Belgrade CSCE at its start: reviewing existing divergences 97 Dealing with the German political implications of the Belgrade CSCE 104 Drafting the conference final document: a West German miscalculation 107 The “Western struggle” for a final document 112 Dealing with a big disappointment: the West German assessment of the first CSCE follow-up meeting in Belgrade 117 Conclusions: Some important lessons for the FRG’s realistic policy of détente 121 Chapter 3 The “Return of Military Security” and the “Return of the Cold War”: Adjusting the FRG’s Realistic Policy of Détente to International Changing Conditions (1978-1980) 126 Introduction: Dealing with the legacy of Belgrade on the way to Madrid 126 New challenges for East-West relations in the field of military security 132 New opportunities for East-West relations in the field of military security 137 Adjusting the FRG’s CSCE policy to new conditions: the preparation of a balanced agenda for Madrid 141 Adjusting the FRG’s CSCE policy to times of crises: the influence of Afghanistan and Poland 145 Afghanistan 146 Poland 150 vii Rethinking a realistic policy of détente in the times of the Afghan and Polish crises 154 Chapter 4 For the Sake of Poland, For the Sake of Détente: the Implementation of a Realistic Policy of Détente at the Second Follow-up Meeting in Madrid (1980-1983) 159 Introduction: Changing political landscapes in the West at the beginning of the new decade 159 “Looking behind to go ahead”: reviewing the state of multilateral détente in Madrid 162 Continuing European détente in the advent of the Reagan Era 167 Negotiations at the Nullpunkt: the West German dilemma between hypotheses of adjournment and risks of isolation 169 Because of Poland, for Poland’s sake: the impact of the Polish crisis on the further unfolding of the Madrid CSCE 174 Because of Poland... 174 ... for Poland’s sake 181 “No business as usual”: dealing with the consequences of the Polish crisis at the Madrid CSCE 185 Change and continuity: the new West German federal government dealing with the last moves of the Madrid CSCE 191 The Madrid CSCE at its conclusion: matters of détente, matters of security 201 Assessing the second CSCE follow-up meeting in Madrid: security needs, good intentions and foreign political ambitions 207 viii Chapter 5 The “Return of the Superpowers” and the “Return of the Past”: A Reappraisal of the Process of Multilateral Détente Ten Years after Helsinki (1984-1985) 213 Introduction 213 The FRG’s aspirations at the Conference on Confidence and Security Building Measures and Disarmament in Stockholm 216 New ways for cooperation on security: the restart of the superpower dialogue in the mid-Eighties 224 A symbolic year: commemorating the common past, looking to the common future 229 Celebrating ten years of European détente: a final reappraisal 235 Conclusions 240 Assessing the meaning of the FRG’s CSCE policy in the years 1975-1985 240 Ideal inspiration 241 Vital national needs 243 Foreign political ambitions 244 Assessing the trajectory of the FRG’s CSCE policy in the years 1975-1985 247 Bibliography 251 ix Vita and Publications May 9, 1985 Born, Padua (Italy) July 2007 Bachelor Degree in European Politics and Integration Final mark: 110/110 cum laude University of Padua Padua (Italy) February 2010 Master Degree in International Politics and Diplomacy Final mark: 110/110 cum laude University of Padua Padua (Italy) October 1, 2012 – Visiting Research Student, Humboldt September 30, 2013 University of Berlin – Department of History – Chair of History of Western Europe and Transatlantic Relations Berlin (Germany) Max Chrambach, Konstantin Freytag-Loringhoven, Isabella Lehner and Paola Varotto, “From entranching to overcoming the Iron Curtain. The changing goals of Western cultural diplomacy in the first phase of the Cold War (1945-1975)”, in Zeitgeschichte 6 (2011), From Cold War to Détente, pp. 384-408. ISSN 0256-5250 x Abbreviations AA Auswärtiges Amt AAPD Akten zur Auswärtigen Politik der Bundesrepublik Deutschland CBMs Confidence Building Measures CDE Conference on Disarmament in Europe CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands CPSU Communist Party of the Soviet Union CSCE Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe ČSSR Československá Socialistická Republika CSU Christlich-Soziale Union EEC European Economic Community ECE Economic Commission for Europe EPC European Political Cooperation FDP Freie Demokratische Partei FRG Federal Republic of Germany GDR German Democratic Republic IISS International Institute for Strategic Studies INF Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces LRTNF Long-Range Theatre Nuclear Forces NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation MBFR Mutual Balanced Force Reduction MfS Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (STASI) xi NNAs Neutral and Non-Aligned Countries PA AA Politisches Archiv des Auswärtigen Amtes RAF Rote Armee Fraktion SALT Strategic Arms Limitation Talks SDI Strategic Defense Initiative SED Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands SPD Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands START Strategic Arms Reduction Talks TNFs Theatre Nuclear Forces U.K. United Kingdom UN United Nations U.S. United States USSR Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics xii Abstract This thesis investigates the evolution of the FRG’s multilateral policy of détente between 1975 and 1985. During this decade Cold War relations went through major crises and changes which affected directly political balances in Europe. This work investigates how Bonn’s federal government – and the Auswärtiges Amt in particular – rethought its détente strategy after the conclusion of the first Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) in Helsinki in order to adapt it to changing international conditions. It highlights the increasing importance of the CSCE process within the West German broader international strategy towards the Western allies and the Eastern partners. The FRG’s CSCE policy during the first half of the Seventies has commonly been described as a completion or multilateral guarantee of Bonn’s bilateral Eastern policy (Ostpolitik). Its development after the 1975 signing of the Helsinki Final Act has been largely overlooked by historical research. This thesis aims at offering a new interpretation of its later evolution. It argues that the CSCE process affirmed itself after 1975 as a FRG’s priority foreign political domain. Undoubtedly, Bonn’s efforts to rescue multilateral détente in the late Seventies-early Eighties were directed to shelter the prosecution of its bilateral cooperation with the East from escalating Cold War tensions. However, pursuing a proactive CSCE policy became increasingly important per se. Indeed, the series of conferences on security and cooperation in Europe offered the adequate diplomatic framework wherein Bonn could chase its national interests and foreign political ambitions, in years in which the FRG was called to greater international responsibilities and was trying to emerge as a more influent political actor on the global stage. Based on a foreign policy-centred approach, this thesis is the result of the careful investigation of a wide range of primary sources from the Political Archive of the German Federal Foreign Office, as well as of newspapers articles from the Seventies and Eighties. The work offers a contribution to the study of West German foreign policy and Cold War history during the decade which paved the way to the important transformations of the late Eighties. xiii “It is therefore once again a duty of responsible observers at this moment in history to focus their minds on the Germans. What are they, really (eternal question)? Luigi Barzini, The Europeans, 1983 Introduction In 1983 Italian journalist Luigi Barzini observed: “The future of Europe appears largely to depend today once again, for good or evil, whether we like it or not, as it did for many centuries, on the future of Germany.