A victory for Mr Schmidt

Press, 30 May 1981, Page 14

A victory for Mr Schmidt

The recent visits of Chancellor Schmidt, of West Germany, to the United States and to France probably helped him to get his defence policy, through the. Bundestag. He needed some help because some members of his Social •’Democratic Party opposed his policy on the 'placing of more nuclear missiles in West Germany. Chancellor Schmidt had put his reputation at stake on having his policy accepted. By being able to cite American support for a twin policy of stationing more missiles in Europe and engaging in- arms talks with the Soviet ■ Union; Chancellor Schmidt managed to prevent a more serious split within his party. When he was in the United States Mr Schmidt found that President Reagan was understanding about his political position at home. Mr Schmidt had been’ critical publicly and privately of President Carter; the fact that he has established some understanding with President Reagan so soon probably augurs well for the relationship between the United States and West Germany. I The fact that Mr Schmidt obtained the Parliamentary support he needed will be noted with interest by the other countries of Europe as well as by the United States. Various Western European governments are finding some public opposition to the . thought of stationing the planned 572 nuclear missiles. This puts the governments in the position of not being / sure that their \ people will, accept the missiles when the governments have already accepted the plan in,principle. The European governments will ,have observed . that when .the idea was put to the : parliamentary-.test in West Germany, Mr Schmidt won the support he wanted. The United States will draw the conclusion that

at least in the instance of Mr Schmidt he could deliver what he had promised. The United States has also the opportunity to read the lesson that Mr Schmidt might not have got the support he needed had it not been for the fact that he had been assured that the United States was serious about holding talks with the Soviet Union. Whatever is felt in the United States about detente, West Germany survives by grace of detente from day to day. West Germany is generally more isolated in Europe than it was until the beginning of this month when Mr Francois Mitterrand won the second round of the Presidential election in France. The relationship between Mr Schmidt and President Giscard d’Estaing had been close. Western Europe, to a certain extent,., was led by West Germany and France because of the understanding between Mr Schmidt and Mr Giscard. While there has been some speculation that West Germany and Britain might form a similar partnership, such an accord would take some time to develop. The two countries have some similar aims. Both want to see the European Economic Community budget reformed and many of their defence aims are similar. There are differences in economic management. Mrs Thatcher embraces a fiercer brand than does Mr Schmidt, who tends to look a little askance at the economic management of both Mrs Thatcher and President Reagan. By demonstrating that he could at least get along with Mr Mitterrand, Mr Schmidt probably did something to reassure the West German people. It cannot be expected that the closeness of the last few years between France and West Germany will be repeated, but there is a fair chance that the two countries will, work together.