Page:Ford, Kissinger, Former British Prime Minister Edward Heath - September 10, 1974(Gerald Ford Library)(1552779).pdf/3

 Now Giscard and Schmidt have taken it up. The British are sitting on the sidelines doing nothing. We should be in the thick of it.

The Congress is putting pressure on all Presidents on withdrawal of forces. We have been successful thus far in holding it off, and it was better this year, than last year.

McClellan though said this last year.

We would oppose it until we got an agreement in MBFR. We will vigorously oppose unilateral withdrawal, but it is a strong force in the Congress.

We have on the other side of the coin to get the Europeans to make their proper contribution. We have not much pressure on defense but we are giving five percent, and look at the FRG. It is a problem of comparison. We make the biggest contribution as a percentage of GNP.

I appreciated your position on Diego Garcia. I was asked a question on that three weeks ago at a press conference. The Soviet Union denied they have the three bases in the area.

They use Somalia and the others.

We were able to get agreement in a week or ten days.

The same sort of people are opposing it.

We were surprised at the reaction of Pell against it.

He is reasonable on most things but not this.

We recognize the great problem we have on energy and with finance, as well as the military problem. We support Dr. Kissinger's efforts to get the consumers together; otherwise we could be in trouble.

We are planning a restricted meeting at the end of the month. Just the four Foreign Ministers and Finance Ministers.

When will that be?