BONN, West Germany, Nov. 8, 1989 (UPI) -- West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl said Wednesday the exodus of East Germans has shown the world the postwar division of Germany is unnatural and Germans will not accept it. Kohl, in a state-of-the-nation speech to parliament, also repeated his often-made offer of comprehensive economic aid to East Germany if it makes basic reforms such as ending Communist Party domination of the government.
His speech came as the East German Politburo resigned Wednesday, following the lead of the East German Cabinet, which quit Tuesday. The resignations were seen as opening the door to reforms by new East German leader Egon Krenz in an effort to stem the tide of refugees.
Kohl said it is the policy of the West German government to work for a free and united Germany and all talk about accepting the political status quo has been answered by the way East Germans ''are voting with their feet.''
He said so far this year about 190,000 East Germans have come to West Germany. That includes about 100,000 the East German government allowed to emigrate, plus some 90,000 refugees who have fled their homeland since August.
''These events have opened the eyes of the world to the fact that the division of our fatherland is unnatural -- that the ( Berlin) Wall and barbed wire cannot endure,'' Kohl said. ''It has made clear that the German question has not been settled, because the people will not put up with existing conditions.''
The West German leader cautioned no date can be set for reunification and it must be left to historical developments. He repeated his stand that progress toward reunification must be founded on firm West German membership in NATO and in the Western community of free nations.
''Only in this way can we be a reliable partner and expect progress in solution of the German question and serve the interests of people in Germany,'' he said. ''We are not wanderers between East and West.''
Kohl said West Germany will cooperate with East Germany to bolster its economy if it brings about conditions through reform so the cooperation will be ''fruitful.''
''It is our national task to promote a basic political and economic change in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany),'' he said.
He called on East Germany to renounce the Communist claim to dominate the government, allow independent parties and hold free elections.
Kohl said if East Germany does these things ''I am ready to discuss a new dimension in economic aid.''
