Word: barzel
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...Willy Brandt, leader of the Social Democratic Party, grandly described the vote as opening "a new phase in the history of the Federal Republic." That may well be so, but, reports TIME'S Bonn Bureau Chief Benjamin Cate, the result was a triumph for neither Brandt nor Rainer Barzel, head of the opposition Christian Democratic Union...
...search of a solution, Christian Democrat Leader Rainer Barzel two weeks ago agreed to a government proposal that appeared to be a reasonable compromise: a joint interpretation of treaties by the four parliamentary parties that would overcome the objections of the C.D.U. and those of its Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union. Rather than see his Ostpolitik go down to almost certain defeat, Brandt postponed the vote for a week to enable all sides to work out a joint declaration...
Last week, on the day before the vote, Barzel and a C.S.U. representative met with Brandt and Foreign Minister Walter Scheel, the leader of the Free Democrats, in the Chancellor's home on Venusberg. Also present was Soviet Ambassador Valentin Falin...
Later that day, however, while Barzel was trying to swing C.D.U. hard-liners behind the declaration, a message came from Brandt's office that the Soviets had raised objections to the statement. Barzel, who has a reputation for being a cool operator, was visibly shaken. Ashen-faced, he left the caucus, muttering, "I don't understand." In his absence, a rumor raced through the opposition ranks that the Soviets had rejected the declaration out of hand...
...midnight Ambassador Falin had cleared up Moscow's legalistic objections. But by then most of West Germany's morning newspapers had gone to press with headlines telling of the supposed Soviet intransigence. As the Bundestag assembled for the vote the next morning, it was evident that Barzel had lost control of his party, which was lining up against the treaties. Taking the floor, Barzel pleaded for a delay. Brandt imprudently pressed for a vote, but after balloting on a procedural issue ended in a deadlock, he agreed to yet another postponement and set the vote on the treaties...