the was conflicts Betcrucial manufacturing strong protectionist agricultural and services trade.
exploit to its own advantage.
The US producer in Europe, bitious Dians lor tectionist posed States against the talks.
LUSI of Reagan at Bitburg military cemetery America is threatening to take measures over trade in manufactured goods unless its rivals agree to a liberalisation of West This issue is the first source of friction between France and West Germany — a tension the US is more than ready to France is the chief agricuitural one wiin am the future. But West France urgently needs the EEC's prosolicies, So it stronber dise moves liberalise agricultural trade. This is why France at Bonn vetoed the US proposals for the new round of international trade INTe West Germany, in contrast, is the EEC country which bears the brunt of subsidising French agriculture. And it has the most to lose it the : US protectionist measures in manufacturing.
Germany supported
American proposals for a new international trade conference.
France and West Germany found themselves sharpiy at odds on the other key issue at Bonn: Reagan's invitation to the EEC states to participate in the Star Wars programme.
West Germany has the strongest blocked access weapons. Participation in Star Wars would give West Germany at least partial legitimate access to the most advances nuclear weapons research in world and, for the first time, a foot in the door of a nuclear weapons Star Wars participation would be aimed to give West Germany a lead in the future nuclear arming of Europe.
For this reason chancellor Kohl is extremly keen to Hence, join the Star Wars programme.
France, in contrast, understands that the anti-ballistic missiles system envisaged by Reagan — which would also inevitably by paralleled by the Soviet independent French nuclear deterrent, the force de frappe, and reduce French political weight in Europe. So Mitterrand is strongly Wars and has refused nuclear ticipation.
On both Reagan seized a major opportunity to get support for US policies at Bonn and drove a wedge between the two pillars of the EEC — France and West Germany. With such high stakes, he was prepared to pay a big price.
The consession Kohl demanded, and Reagan paid, was the Bitburg visit. If West Germany is to be firmly
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