In Quest of “Full and Unconditional Sovereignty” : Hans-Dietrich Genscher and the Issue of a Unified Germanyʼs Full Membership in NATO

Abstract

In the process of German unification 1989/1990 two critical and interrelated questions arose: sovereignty of a unified Germany and its security status. This article examines how the Federal Republic of Germany （FRG）could get Soviet consent to a unified Germanyʼs full membership in NATO and acquire “full sovereignty”. Using newly available diplomatic sources, the author tries to reevaluate the role of Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Foreign Minister of the FRG, which has not been paid much attention in previous studies. This article stresses three points about Genscherʼs contributions in this process: first, referring to the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, Genscher emphasized that Germany should have the right to decide whether to be a full membership of NATO. Second, he promoted the transformation of NATO through the “Message from Turnberry” of June 1990 which was drafted by the West German Foreign Office. Third, Genscher made an effort to build a relationship of profound trust with the Soviets, especially through numerous talks with Shevardnadze.