OstpolitikOstpolitik Brandt gains support Brandt gains support from the US from the US

and other NATO allies for Ostpolitik and other NATO allies for Ostpolitik by reassuring them that:by reassuring them that:

The FRG The FRG did notdid not intend to quit intend to quit NATONATO or the or the ECEC

1970-19721970-1972: five treaties negotiated: five treaties negotiated

OstpolitikOstpolitik

Willy Brandt Willy Brandt (left) and (left) and Willi Stoph Willi Stoph in Erfurt 1970, the in Erfurt 1970, the first encounter of a Federal Chancellor with his East first encounter of a Federal Chancellor with his East

German counterpartGerman counterpart

1) The Moscow Treaty 19701) The Moscow Treaty 1970 The USSR and the FRG declared they The USSR and the FRG declared they

had had no territorial claims no territorial claims against any against any other stateother state

Committed itself to Committed itself to recognizing post-recognizing post-1945 frontiers1945 frontiers

Did not officially recognize the GDR but Did not officially recognize the GDR but did agree to did agree to abandon the Hallstein abandon the Hallstein DoctrineDoctrine

USSR concedes to preliminary USSR concedes to preliminary elements towards German reunificationelements towards German reunification

The Warsaw & Prague TreatiesThe Warsaw & Prague Treaties 2) Warsaw Treaty (Dec. 1970): 2) Warsaw Treaty (Dec. 1970):

Neither FRG or Poland have territorial Neither FRG or Poland have territorial demands on the otherdemands on the other

Oder-Neisse Line Oder-Neisse Line was “inviolable” was “inviolable” (not to be attacked)(not to be attacked)

Trade and financial assistance from Trade and financial assistance from the FRG would be increasedthe FRG would be increased

3) Prague Treaty (June 1973): 3) Prague Treaty (June 1973): similar similar to Warsaw Treaty to Warsaw Treaty Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia

Specifically revoked Specifically revoked Munich Munich Agreement ‘38Agreement ‘38

4) Four Power Treaty on Berlin4) Four Power Treaty on Berlin March 1970: March 1970: USSR reluctant to annoy USSR reluctant to annoy

Nixon (Soviets mindful of China); made Nixon (Soviets mindful of China); made them more responsive to Western them more responsive to Western demandsdemands

Signed September 1971Signed September 1971: : USSR USSR A. unimpeded traffic between FRG and A. unimpeded traffic between FRG and

West BerlinWest Berlin B. recognition of West Berlin’s ties to B. recognition of West Berlin’s ties to

WGWG C. right of West Berliners to visit East C. right of West Berliners to visit East

BerlinBerlin

4) Four Power Treaty on Berlin 4) Four Power Treaty on Berlin (cont’d) (cont’d)

West West That the Western sectors of Berlin That the Western sectors of Berlin

were not legally part of the FRG were not legally part of the FRG (even though they had been in (even though they had been in practice since 1950)practice since 1950)

The Four Power Treaty meeting The Four Power Treaty meeting

5) The Basic Treaty (Dec. 1972)5) The Basic Treaty (Dec. 1972) Moscow Treaty and agreement on Moscow Treaty and agreement on

Berlin Berlin paved the way for paved the way for direct direct negotiations between the negotiations between the GDR and FRGGDR and FRG

FRG recognized the GDR FRG recognized the GDR as an equal as an equal and sovereign state & accepted that and sovereign state & accepted that both should be represented in the UNboth should be represented in the UN

FRG stressed FRG stressed its determination to its determination to work work towards peaceful German reunificationtowards peaceful German reunification

Press conference on signing day of the Press conference on signing day of the Basic Treaty Basic Treaty

The Helsinki AccordThe Helsinki Accord Soviets wantedSoviets wanted: : Permanent recognition Permanent recognition of the of the

territorial and political divisionterritorial and political division of of Europe made at YaltaEurope made at Yalta

Increased economic, scientific, and Increased economic, scientific, and technical cooperation to technical cooperation to assist in assist in modernizationmodernization

The Helsinki Accord (cont’d) The Helsinki Accord (cont’d) USUS:: Had consented to the Had consented to the conference in conference in

exchange forexchange for Berlin agreement and Berlin agreement and troop reductions troop reductions

US wanted to extract US wanted to extract human rights human rights concessions from the USSR concessions from the USSR weaken its grip on Eastern Europe weaken its grip on Eastern Europe

President Ford meets with General Secretary President Ford meets with General Secretary Brezhnev at the Soviet Embassy.  August 2, Brezhnev at the Soviet Embassy.  August 2,

1975. 1975. 

The Helsinki Accord (cont’d) The Helsinki Accord (cont’d) Helsinki Agreement: Helsinki Agreement: August 1, 1975August 1, 1975 In return for the recognition of In return for the recognition of

Europe’s Europe’s post-war frontierspost-war frontiers, the USSR , the USSR agreed to sign a guarantee of agreed to sign a guarantee of human human rights rights & political freedom& political freedom

Marked the high-point of détente Marked the high-point of détente Divided into 3 sections (or “baskets”)Divided into 3 sections (or “baskets”)

The The Helsinki Final Act Helsinki Final Act was signed at was signed at Finlandia HallFinlandia Hall..

Helsinki AccordsHelsinki Accords

The Helsinki Accord (cont’d) The Helsinki Accord (cont’d) 1) Questions relating to security in Europe1) Questions relating to security in Europe Peaceful settlement of disputes, non-Peaceful settlement of disputes, non-

interference in internal affairs of other interference in internal affairs of other states, “inviolability” of frontiersstates, “inviolability” of frontiers

2) Cooperation in the field of economics, 2) Cooperation in the field of economics, science, technology, and the environmentscience, technology, and the environment

3) Cooperation in humanitarian and other 3) Cooperation in humanitarian and other fieldsfields

Expanding trade, tourism, and cultural Expanding trade, tourism, and cultural contacts between blocscontacts between blocs

The Two German leaders talking to each other during the The Two German leaders talking to each other during the Helsinki Helsinki ConferenceConference, 30 July 1975. On , 30 July 1975. On the rightthe right is is FRG Chancellor Helmut FRG Chancellor Helmut

SchmidtSchmidt, on the , on the leftleft the the GDR leader Erich Honecker.GDR leader Erich Honecker.

Chancellor of Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) Helmut Chancellor of Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) Helmut Schmidt, Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratic Schmidt, Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) Erich Honecker, U.S. president Gerald Ford Republic (East Germany) Erich Honecker, U.S. president Gerald Ford

and Austrian chancellor Bruno Kreiskyand Austrian chancellor Bruno Kreisky

Reaction to HelsinkiReaction to Helsinki Right-wing politicians Right-wing politicians Margaret Margaret

ThatcherThatcher and and Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan saw it as a saw it as a “new Yalta” “new Yalta” placing placing “the American seal “the American seal of approval on the Soviet Empire in of approval on the Soviet Empire in Eastern Europe”.Eastern Europe”.

Supporters claim Supporters claim Helsinki was Helsinki was “a time “a time bomb planted in the heart of the Soviet bomb planted in the heart of the Soviet Empire”Empire”

The stress on The stress on human rights human rights and and fundamental freedoms fundamental freedoms would erode the would erode the unpopular Soviet regimes in E. Europeunpopular Soviet regimes in E. Europe