Washington,
June 4, 1965, 12:30 p.m.
SUBJECT
Viet-Nam
PARTICIPANTS
US
The President
Harry Obst--Interpreter
German Chancellor
Erhard
Herman Kusterer--Interpreter
The President
asked the Chancellor about the attitude of the German people with
regard to South Viet-Nam. Did they understand what was going on
there or was it for them just a faraway country?
The Chancellor
replied that, although not everybody was concerned with it, Viet-Nam
was important to most Germans because they regarded it as a kind
of testing ground as to how firmly the US honors its commitments.
In that respect there existed a parallel between Saigon and Berlin.
He assured the President of his sympathies and understanding and
stressed that the Federal Republic would always work closely together
with the US and stand by it on these problems.
The President
thanked the Chancellor for his understanding attitude. He observed
that the US had serious commitments under the SEATO Pact and other
treaties, and that it would raise serious doubts in other parts
of the world if the US did not stand by its commitments in SE
Asia. He told the Chancellor he could go home and tell his people
that the US would firmly stand by its commitments.
