THE NEW GERMANY 447government’s guarantee for credits to the value of DM5 billion.^35 But
what about German reunification in all this? Falin sent a memo to Gor-
bachëv urging firmness and repeated the idea of establishing German
reunification on the basis of a confederal constitution so that East Ger-
many could stay inside the Warsaw Pact.^36 Gorbachëv phoned him
deep into the night of 9–10 July. When Falin implied that Kohl’s actions
were reminiscent of what Hitler did to Austria in 1938, Gorbachëv
offered no cheer: ‘I’ll do what I can. Only that I’m afraid the train has
already departed.’^37 Falin had been a witness to his confusion at Camp
David and was known to believe that undue softness had been shown
to Kohl. (If Gorbachëv knew the details of Falin’s maladroit overture to
Kohl’s aide Teltschik, he overlooked them.) The danger was that Falin
might become the standard-bearer for a revolt on the German question
- and the potential consequences of such an outcome were deeply
disturbing.
On 14 July Kohl arrived in Moscow. He got on splendidly with
Gorbachëv, who thanked him for the DM5 billion in credits. He called
it a ‘chess move’ that was pointed in the right direction. They agreed
that world politics were entering a fresh stage. Ignoring the official
temperance campaign, Gorbachëv offered a glass of vodka to his guest.
(He recommended it as an ecologically sound product.) Curiously, this
prompted Ryzhkov to propose the idea of joint German and Soviet
breweries.^38 But Gorbachëv still declined to say yes to Germany,
once reunified, belonging to NATO. Kohl said he would not go south
to Arkhyz with Gorbachëv unless this was agreed, and he took the
absence of an objection by Gorbachëv as a sign of compliance.^39 The
Arkhyz trip was friendly and productive. Gorbachëv was copying
the American technique of using familiar surroundings for informal
discussions that could give momentum to a diplomatic breakthrough.
Among those accompanying them were Shevardnadze and Genscher
as well as economics ministers Theodor Waigel and Stepan Sitaryan.
Raisa too joined them. Whereas Kohl brought along Teltschik,
Cher nyaev decided to stay in Moscow: he was feeling depressed and
contemplating retirement, despite the historic moment that was at
hand.^40 Gorbachëv and Kohl dined together and held friendly talks.
This was the first time that they had enjoyed themselves like this, and
Gorbachëv was pleased with the results.
The two leaders reached a momentous agreement. Gorbachëv
yielded to Kohl’s scheme for German reunification, including the new
Germany’s right to belong to NATO. Kohl was delighted. He in turn