A Resurgence of the Spirit

Personalities can make all the difference in politics. That dominant personality of the European scene, Charles de Gaulle, could barely conceal his distaste for professional Ludwig Erhard, West Germany's last Chancellor--not to mention his distaste for Erhard's pro-American policies. The result was some bad days for Franco-German cooperation, formally set up by treaty in 1963. Last week, when West Germany's new Chancellor, Kurt Georg Kiesinger, made his first official visit to Paris, De Gaulle met a man whose mind and manners he could admire. Learned and elegant, a longtime friend of France whose own Swabian home is only an hour's drive from the French border, Kiesinger charmed De Gaulle by trading erudite toasts with him, conversing at state dinners in flawless French about the merits of French authors and the joys of French wine. Result: the prospect for renewed Franco-German cooperation suddenly seemed bright again. Said De Gaulle: "The spirit of the 1963 treaty remains alive."

Some Skepticism. Beyond the civilities, serious discussions occupied their two days of talks in the handsome Elysee Palace. Much of the talk centered on De Gaulle's favorite topic: building bridges to Eastern Europe. After years of West German foot-dragging on East-West contacts, Kiesinger wants to follow France's example, but, he confessed to De Gaulle, the Eastern European nations remain skeptical of West German intentions. De Gaulle offered to instruct French ambassadors in Eastern European capitals to use their influence to convince the Poles, Czechs and everyone else that the Germans have indeed reformed. Furthermore, De Gaulle and Kiesinger agreed to coordinate their economic policies regarding the Eastern bloc.

Kiesinger reiterated the West German view that the doors of the Common Market should be opened to Britain and the other six members of the Euro pean Free Trade Association. De Gaulle was unmoved, holding to his position that Britain under Prime Minister Har old Wilson has excluded itself by remaining linked to the Commonwealth and the U.S. Sighed Kiesinger later to newsmen: "Wilson will not have an easy time when he comes here."

Nuclear Annoyance. Despite hopes for detente, the talks also turned to defense. Kiesinger is upset that the U.S. seems willing to negotiate a nuclear nonproliferation treaty with the Soviets that would leave unanswered the question of German participation in--and protection under--some future European nuclear strike force. De Gaulle, who opposes the treaty anyhow, used the West German annoyance to loosen slightly Kiesinger's future commitment to NATO. He got Kiesinger to agree to set up joint Franco-German military committees to plan common strategy and common weaponry for the 1970s.

Franco-German relations have, of course, enjoyed bright moments before, only to fade under mutual distrust and misunderstanding. But for the moment, it looked as if Kiesinger and De Gaulle could work together in harmony. When at one point in their talks Kiesinger failed for a moment to grasp the full implications of a De Gaulle concept, he asked for time to collect his thoughts. Said he to De Gaulle: "I am just a beginner, and you must forgive me if I don't have the sovereign grasp of things which you, as one of the world's greatest living statesmen, have." Chuckled De Gaulle: "If you start out like that, what will you be like 14 years from now?"--a reference to the fact that, at 62, Kiesinger is 14 years younger than De Gaulle.

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