Berlin Wall Called ‘Litmus Test’
President Reagan declared the Berlin Wall “a litmus test of East-West relations” today as he held a farewell meeting with West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.
Reagan, who will leave office Jan. 20, said, “The divided city of Berlin remains a powerful symbol of a divided Europe and a litmus test of East-West relations.” Kohl, responding through a translator at a departure ceremony on the White House lawn, said, “Any kind of worsening in East-West relations will be felt like an earthquake in our country, and of course first of all in Berlin.” Later in the day, Kohl met President-elect George Bush at the vice president’s residence.
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.