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- 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.
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