my 575 4308 Unofficial Translation PRES NOTED Dear George As you know I have met with Mikhail Gorbatchev in tbscow On May 25 The meeting was originally set up for the 5th but Mr Gorbatchev had asked me to mstpone it Our discussions went on for around five hours The majority of this time was devoted to the problems wrulch will arise as a result of German unification a matter which is clearly of great concern to him His hostility to the participation of an unified Germany into NMD does not appear to me as being either fake or tactical On this subject he is both firm and determined He even gives an indication that should he have to face a fait he would be compelled to alter his behavior on many issues particularly on disarmament in Eur0pe His camentary aims at rejecting beforehand on the Western powers the responsibility of the imbalance of forces which would ensue and as a result of tensions to core I have argued that it Was not reasonable to think of another solution than the one of Germany participation in the Atlantic Alliance and I indicated that on the Western side we would certainly not refuse to detail the guarantees that he would have a right to expect for his country's security I then mentioned some of the possible guarantees that I dean important after the conclusion of a peace settlement in International law Mr Gorbatchev was paying a great deal of attention to my presentation I think that we must try to dispel Mr Gorbatchev's mrries I we meet Mr Gorbatchev and I also talked about Lithuania Mr Gorbatchev is open to a dialogue but is not ready to give up on fmdanentals He keeps on insisting that the Lithuanians renounce theirvoteofindependence a negotiation but it would have to take place after a certain delay In brief my impression is that Mikhail Gorbatchev does not have much of a margin of maneuver left then it comes to the question of nationalities Baltic States or of the consequences of German unity Regarding this last point the calendar contemplated by Helmut Kohl will encounter in my opinion serious obstacles I assume that your conversation with the Soviet president will be essentially on this subject 'Ihe usual course of diplcmacy will not prevent a difficult clineteintheemnerandinthefall Bush Presldentlal Library Photocopy war 1- or all kinds thathe will have to expect particularly 305$ but at the sane time confident in his approach I believe that he is trul hoping tor an agreement but wi n the limit of his power I soon in Great Britain am late in Houston In the met Mr Gorbatchev We will have the opportunity to tall ayggug t have I dont't forget either the extreme interest and the sure I I in meeting you in Key Largo and I thank you for your hospitgl y I had Francois Mitterrand Bush Presldentlal Library Photocopy CHER GEORGE 43Q5 comm vous LE RENCONTRE HIKHAIL GORBATCHEV A MOSCOU LE 25 MAI DERNIER RENDEZ-VOUS PIKE POUR LE 5 ET QUE H GORBATCHEV DEMANDE DE REPORTER EU avzc LUI DES ENTRETIENS our our om ENVIRON CINQ HEURES UNE GRANDE PARTIE DE CE TEMPS A ETE CONSACREE AUX PROSLEHES DEVANT RESULTER DE ALLEMANDE QUI SE TROUVE VISIBLEHENT AU COEUR DE SE5 PREOCCUPATIONS SON HOSTILITE A LA PRESENCE DE UNIFIEE DANS NE HE PARAIT ETRE NI FEINTE NI TACTIQUE IL EST SUR CE SUJET FERHE ET DETERNINE IL LAISSE HERE ENTENDRE QUE HIS DEVANT LE FAIT ACCOHPLI IL SERAIT CONTRAINT DE MODIFIER SON ATTITUDE DANS DE NOMBREUX DOMAINES NOTAMHENT SUR LE DESARMEHENT EN EUROPE SON COHMENTAIRE VISE A REJETER PAR AVANCE SUR LES OCCIDENTAUX LA RESPONSABILITE DU DESEQUILIBRE DES FORCES QUI SUIVRAIT ET DONC DES TENSIONS A VENIR FAIT VALOIR PAS RAISONNABLE DE SONGER A UNE SOLUTION AUTRE QUE CELLE DE LA PARTICIPATION DE A ATLANTIQUE ET INDIQUE COTE OCCIDENTAL ON NE SE REFUSERAIT CERTAINEMENT PAS A HETTRE AU NET LES GARANTIES SERAIT EN DROIT POUR LA SECURITE DE SON PAYS INDIQUE QUELQUES UNES DE CES GARANTIES EVENTUELLES IMPORTANTES A MES YEUX A PARTIR DE LA CONCLUSION REGLEMENT DE PAIX DE DROIT INTERNATIONAL H GORBATCHEV MONTRE A HON EXPOSE JE PENSE QUE NOUS DEVRONS CHERCHER A DESAMORCER LES INQUIETUDES DE H GORBATCHEV JE VOUS FERAI AINSI NOS PARTENAIRES DES PROPOSITIONS QUAND NOUS NOUS RENCONTRERONS M GORBATCHEV ET MOI AVONS EGALEHENT PARLE DE LA LITUANIE M GORBATCHEV EST OUVERT AU DIALOGUE SANS ETRE PRET A CEDER SUR LE POND IL CONTINUE LA RENONCIATION PAR LES LITUANIENS A LEUR VOTE IL PAS HE SEMBLE-T-IL UNE NEGOCIATION HAIS APRES UN CERTAIN DELAI BREE IL QUE NIKHAIL GORBATCHEV PLUS GUERE DE HARGE DE HANOEUVRE AUSSI BIEN SUR LE PROBLEHE DES NATIONALITES PAYS BALTES QUE SUR CELUI DES CONSEQUENCES DE ALLENANDE LE CALENDRIER ENVISAGE SUR CE DERNIER POINT PAR HELMUT NOEL LE PENSE DE SERIEUX OBSTACLES JE SUPPOSE QUE VOTRE CONVERSATION AVEC LE PRESIDENT SOVIETIQUE SERA ESSENTIELLEHENT CONSACREE A CETTE AFFAIRE LES CHEHINS HABITUELS DE LA DIPLOMATIE NE NOUS EVITERONT PAS UN ETE ET UN AUTOMNE AU CLIHAT DIPFICILE CELA DIT H GORBATCHEV APPARU TOUT A FAIT CONSCIENT DES DIFFICULTES DE TOUS ORDRES RENCONTRE NOTANHENT DANS LE DOMAINE ECONOHIQUE HATS CONFIANT DANS SA DEHARCHE JE LE CROIS AU POND DESIREUX ACCORD MAIS A LA LIMITE DE SON POUVOIR JE HE REJOUIS MON CHER PRESIDENT A DE VOUS RETROUVER BIENTOT EN GRANDE-BRETAGNE PUIS A HOUSTON ENTRL TEMPS VOUS AUREZ RENCONTRE M GORBATCHEV NOUS AURONS PARLER JE PAS NON PLUS INTERET ET LE PLAISIR QUE EU A VOUS RENCONTRER A KEY LARGO ET VOUS REHERCIE DE VOTRE HOSPITALITE SIGNE FRANCOIS MITTERRAND Bush Presidential Library Photocopy                     National Security Archive    Suite 701  Gelman Library  The George Washington University    2130 H Street  NW  Washington  D C  20037    Phone  202 994‐7000  Fax  202 994‐7005  nsarchiv@gwu edu