Final Communiqué

The North Atlantic Council held a Ministerial Session in Paris today under the Chairmanship of Mr. Stephanos Stephanopoulos, Foreign Minister of Greece. This Meeting, which was attended by Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers of member countries, dealt with issues of vital importance for the security of the free world, and for the promotion of greater European unity, within the framework of a developing Atlantic Community. In particular, the meeting was called to approve arrangements designed to bring about the full association of the Federal Republic of Germany with the West, and a German defence contribution. On the invitation of the Council, Dr. Adenauer, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, attended the meeting as an observer.

The Council noted that all the agreements reached at the London Conference and at the subsequent meetings of the Four and Nine-Power Conferences form part of one general settlement which is directly or indirectly of concern to all the North Atlantic Treaty Powers and which was accordingly submitted to the Council. The Council welcomed this settlement.

The Council was informed of the agreement reached between the Foreign Ministers of France, the German Federal Republic, the United Kingdom and the United States of America in regard to ending the occupation regime in the Federal Republic.

The Council was informed of the agreement reached on the text of four protocols strengthening and extending the scope of the Brussels Treaty Organization--now Western European Union -- expanded to provide for the participation of Italy and of the German Federal Republic, and on the text of accompanying documents. The Council welcomed this agreement and agreed with the provisions of the Protocols to the Brussels Treaty insofar as they involve action by the North Atlantic Council or other NATO authorities.

The Council welcomed the declaration made in London by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on 3rd October, 1954, and the related declaration made on the same occasion by the Governments of France, the United Kingdom and the United States. It noted with satisfaction that the representatives of the other parties to the North Atlantic Treaty have today assoc- iated themselves with the declaration of the Three Powers.

The Council approved a resolution to reinforce the existing machinery for the collective defence of Europe, chiefly by strengthening the powers of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

The Council approved a Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty inviting the Federal Republic of Germany to join NATO. The Protocol will be signed tomorrow by the fourteen Foreign Ministers, and will enter into force when each of the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty has notified the Government of the United States of America of its acceptance, and when all instruments of ratification of the Protocol Modifying and Completing the Brussels Treaty have been deposited with the Belgian Government, and when all instruments of ratification or approval of the Convention on the Presence of Foreign Forces in the Federal Republic of Germany have been deposited with the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Council heard a statement by the Foreign Minister of Italy on the recent agreements reached on the Trieste problem. The value of these agreements from the Atlantic and European point of view was emphasized.

The Council agreed to hold its next Ministerial Meeting on or about 15th December next.

The Council reaffirmed that the North Atlantic Treaty remains a basic element in the foreign policies of all member governments. It agreed that there must be the closest possible co-operation between Western European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in all fields and that any duplication of the work of existing agencies of NATO will be avoided. The Council reaffirmed its unity of purpose in the pursuit of peace and progress. The present conference and the agreements reached represent a new and decisive step in the development of the Atlantic Community.

The text of the agreements and documents will be issued separately tomorrow, Saturday, October 23, after the signing ceremony.