Willy
Brandt
became Foreign Minister in
the Federal Republic of Germany
in 1966. He developed the policy of Ostpolitik (reconciliation between
eastern and western Europe). This replaced the Hallstein
Doctrine of the government led by Konrad
Adenauer.
In 1969
Brandt became Chancellor of West Germany. He continued with his policy
of Ostpolitik and in 1970 negotiated an agreement with the Soviet
Union accepting
the frontiers of Berlin. In 1971 an agreement was reached that made
it easier for people in West Berlin to
visit East Berlin.
As part
of the policy of Ostpolitik, the Basic Treaty was signed in 1972.
In this treaty the Federal
Republic of Germany and
German Democratic Republic committed
themselves to developing normal relations on the "basis of equality,
guaranteeing their mutual territorial integrity as well as the border
between them, and recognizing each other's independence and sovereignty".
As a result
of Ostpolitik the Federal
Republic of Germany
exchanged ambassadors with the Soviet Union,
Poland, Czechoslovakia,
Hungary
and Bulgaria.
(1)
Willy
Brandt, A Peace Policy
for Europe (1968)
The North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation is first and foremost an effective defence alliance.
It prevents potential opponents from being tempted to exert political
pressure on any one of the allies through military force. But constant
effort is required to
maintain this defensive strength in the face of constantly advancing
technical development. We realise that the commitment in Europe is
a great burden on the United States.... I am afraid that the time
for any significant lightening of the United States' burden has not
yet come.
NATO and a policy of détente
are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, the existence of NATO
- that is, its political weight and its readiness to defend our territory
against all attacks - has shown that a policy of tensions and crises
is of no avail. The weakening of NATO would reduce the possibility
of a détente and lessen its effectiveness. The military deterrent
has ensured the peace of Europe.... Military security and détente
do not contradict, but supplement each other. Without the firm support
of the alliance we cannot carry on any policy of détente. Similarly
the political objective of the alliance will not be realised without
an East-West détente.
(2)
The Sunday Telegraph (12th November, 1972)
It can be argued that
Herr Brandt has surrendered a principle and got little in return.
The East Germans, and behind them the Russians, have made only a few
slight concessions in the matter of human, administrative and trading
contacts across the border. But they are real concessions, whereas
the reunification of Germany, short of some new world cataclysm, has
become an impossible
dream. Post-war international relations are
difficult enough, but it is better that they should be based on
present realities than on a vanished past or an imaginary future.
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