ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with a discussion on the possible benefits West Germany could derive by compromising on the issue. It argues that favor of an exchange in which West Germany would recognize the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in return for the GDR and the Soviet Union acknowledging the close relationship that exists between West Berlin and the Federal Republic of Germany. The future of Deutschlandpolitik lies in deemphasizing political rhetoric and employing quiet diplomacy to achieve substantive acts that will keep the special nature of the German relationship alive in practice rather than in theory. If compromises were made by the Eastern bloc and West Germany in turn granted formal recognition to East Germany, the relations between the two Germanys could be substantially normalized. The European Community members were riot obligated to uphold the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court that the Basic Treaty reaffirmed the inter-se relationship between the two German states.
