NIXON AND KIESINGER LEAVE BONN; MOTORCADE THROUGH WEST BERLIN; VISIT BERLIN WALL; MOTORCADE AND NIXON IN CROWD.




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Background: TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WEST BERLINERS TODAY (THURSDAY) GAVE AN ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME TO PRESIDENT NIXON WHEN HE FLEW INTO THE DIVIDED CITY WITH A MESSAGE OF PEACE AND RECONCILIATION. THE PRESIDENT SPENT JUST FOUR HOURS IN BERLIN, SHORTEST STOPOVER ON HIS EUROPEAN TOUR.

THE PRESIDENT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY WEST GERMAN CHANCELLOR, DR. KURT KIESINGER AND FOREIGN MINISTER, WILLY BRANDT, DURING THE ONE HOUR FLIGHT DOWN THE ALLIED AIR CORRIDOR FROM BONN INTO WEST BERLIN.

DURING HIS 24-HOUR STAY IN BONN, PRESIDENT NIXON TOLD THE WEST GERMAN CHANCELLOR THAT WHATEVER THE OUTCOME OF THE WEST BERLIN CRISIS "I STAND WITH YOU."
THERE WAS A LIGHT COVERING OF SNOW AND SOME MIST AT THE AIRPORT AS THE PARTY WALKED TOWARDS THE PRESIDENTIAL JET, AIR FORCE ONE.

ABOUT 400 POLICE IN AND AROUND THE AIRPORT OUTNUMBERED THE SPECTATORS WATCHING THE DEPARTURE. THE SPECTATORS WERE MOSTLY AIRPORT STAFF AND SCHOOL CHILDREN WAVING AMERICAN FLAGS.

A WEST GERMAN GUARD OF HONOUR PRESENTED ARMS AND A BAND PLAYED THE AMERICAN AND WEST GERMAN ANTHEMS. THERE WERE NO SPEECHES.

IN WEST BERLIN, THOUSANDS BRAVED THE COLD TO LINE THE ROUTE OF THE PRESIDENT'S MOTORCADE THROUGH THE CITY. THE WEST BERLINERS' ENTHUSIASM PLUNGED SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS INTO CHAOS.

THE PRESIDENT'S ARMOURED LIMOUSINE WAS STOPPED BY THE THRONG AND MR. NIXON CLAMBERED ONTO THE CAR'S BONNET TO ACKNOWLEDGE CHEERS AND SHAKE OUT OUTSTRETCH HANDS.

RADICAL STUDENT PROTESTS DID NOT BEAR OUT ADVANCE THREATS AND NOTHING MORE HARMFUL THAN SNOWBALLS, EGGS AND RED PAINT, WAS THROWN. THESE MISSED PRESIDENTIAL CAR.

FIRST STOP ON THE PRESIDENT'S TOUR THROUGH WEST BERLIN WAS FOR A BRIEF PILGRIMAGE TO THE BERLIN WALL. WITH HEAD BOWED, MR. NIXON PAUSED FOR A MOMENT AT A ROUGH WOODEN CROSS MARKING THE SPOT WHERE TWO YOUNG EAST GERMANS WERE SHOT DEAD IN AN ESCAPE ACT, THEN WITH DR. KIESINGER, GOVERNING MAYOR SCHEUTZ AND FOREIGN MINISTER WILLY BRANDT AT HIS SIDE, HE GAZED SOMBRELY ACROSS THE ROWS OF CONCRETE, BARBED WIRE AND TANK TRAPS.

FUR HATTED EAST GERMAN GUARDS GAZED BACK IMPASSIVELY THROUGH BINOCULARS. ONE FILMED THE SCENE.

THE PRESIDENT THREW SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS INTO CHAOS SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE MOTORCADE WHEN HE STOPPED HIS LIMOUSINE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHEERS OF THE CROWD.