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ACTION EUR-25
INFO OCT-01 ADP-00 ACDA-19 RSR-01 MBFR-03 SAJ-01 CIAE-00
PM-07 H-02 INR-10 L-03 NSAE-00 NSC-10 PA-03 RSC-01
PRS-01 SS-15 USIA-12 TRSE-00 AEC-11 /125 W
--------------------- 099963
R 151319 Z JUN 73
FM AMEMBASSY BONN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5720
INFO SECDEF WASHDC
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY PARIS
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
USMISSION NATO BRUSSELS
USNMR SHAPE BRUSSELS
C O N F I D E N T I A L BONN 08556
E. O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: GW. PFOR, MILI
SUBJECT: FRG DEFMIN MEETING WITH DUTCH DEFMIN VREDELING
1. ADMIRAL TREBESCH ( FMOD POL/ MIL) TOLD US THAT FOL-
LOWING THE LEBER- VREDELING MEETING IN BONN ON JUNE 5 THE
GERMANS ARE CONFIDENT THAT MINISTER VREDELING PLANS NO
EARLY STEPS TOWARD A REDUCTION OF THE COMBAT CAPABILITY
OF THE DUTCH FORCES. EXPLAINING THAT THE JUNE 5 MEETING
WAS HELD ON A HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL BASIS, TREBESCH SAID
BOTH LEBER AND VREDELING FEAR A PUBLIC LEAK ABOUT THE
MEETING MIGHT LIMIT THEIR CHANCES FOR FUTURE PRIVATE CON-
SULTATIONS ON DEFENSE PROBLEMS. TREBESCH SAID THAT IN
THE COURSE OF THE CONVERSATIONS THE GERMANS BECAME CON-
VINCED THAT VREDELING PERSONALLY WANTS TO KEEP DUTCH
FORCES AT THEIR CURRENT LEVEL, ALTHOUGH THEY RECOGNIZE
HE WILL BE UNDER PRESSURE FROM SOME QUARTERS TO CUT DUTCH
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DEFENSE EXPENDITURES. VREDELING REPORTEDLY SAID THAT HE
DID NOT WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS THE MINISTER WHO " KILLED
THE DUTCH FORCES", BUT HE STRONGLY BELIEVED THAT THE
DUTCH FORCES AND DEFENSE EFFORT MUST BE REORGANIZED AND
RATIONALIZED. ON THE LANCE PROCUREMENT ISSUE, VREDELING
SAID THE LANCE PURCHASE WOULD SET OFF AN UNDESIRABLE
DEBATE IN THE NETHERLANDS ABOUT NUCLEAR AFFAIRS WHICH
COULD IN TURN UNDERMINE OTHER DUTCH DEFENSE PROGRAMS.
VREDELING IS, HOWEVER, AMENABLE TO PUTTING THE LANCE
FUNDS INTO THE HAWK IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, A STEP WHICH
THE GERMANS UNDERSTOOD WOULD NOT MEAN A DECREASE IN DUTCH
DEFENSE EXPENDITURES.
2. TREBESCH ASKED US TO HOLD CLOSE INFORMATION CONCERN-
ING THE LEBER- VREDELING CONSULTATION. APPARENTLY, THE
DUTCH DEFMIN' S PERSONAL POLITICAL FORTUNES COULD BE
AFFECTED IF IT WERE TO BECOME WIDELY KNOWN THAT HE AND
LEBER HOPE TO WORK AND CONSULT CLOSELY TOGETHER.
HILLENBRAND
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*** Current Handling Restrictions *** n/a
*** Current Classification *** CONFIDENTIAL