REARMING OF GERMANY

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27442, 31 August 1954, Page 11

REARMING OF GERMANY

Agreement By France (N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) |Rec. 10 P-m.) LONDON, August 30. The French Government has agreed that West Germany must somehow be rearmed—but whether this he trough the European Defence Community Treaty, gSS? debated ,n a Th? h ' re P . rime ” inlster (Mr Pierre Mendes-France), in I speech to the Assembly yesterday, made the Government’s d,nd on Germany’s future clear. He said France would stick firmly to the North Atlantic Orgamsat on and added: “And if we stay tasto NA.T.O. we must agree to the rearmament of West Germany.’’ Mr Mendes-France said that if the Assembly reiected the gj>.c. the French Government would propose ratification of the Bonn agreements, which virtually restore the sovereignty of West Germany. 6 3

But on the E.D.C. issue itself, Mr -irpSM-Trance left the Assembly with impression he did not think it Such sood trying a second time to get Se other five partners to the treaty—mwim Luxembourg, the NetherGermany and Italy—to to accept the treaty In the Reeded form which France proposed. These five nations rejected the French plans outright at the recent n jisr*i conference. Nevertheless, uoßtkal observers in Paris today are foncastot that a new attempt may he Assembly late today er possibly tomorrow to get the debate sojourned and restart negotiations. The fote of the E.D.C. hung precariously in the balance when the second doyoftbe four-day debate ended in the Assembly early this morning. A neOsn during the debate to move “to be next business" would probably tan obtained a majority in the AseeniHy and thus have put a definite nd both to the debate and to the ID.C. But a plea from Mr Mendesfnace succeeded in convincing everyene that before a decision was taken uuybody should have full opportttaiiy of expressing his views. b bis speech to the Assembly Mr Mender France said the Government ns ia favour of German rearmament ■lialeni the outcome of the crucial Mata. “If we want to stay inside toe Aflantic alliance we must agree to the rearmament of West Germany," te ML Mr Mendes-France was careful not to eaeamit himself on ratification of the European Army project, which Mty experts predict will be rejected by about 300 votes to 260 in any imasdbrte vote. The 47-year-oid Premier aphasised the unbreakable ties linkins France with Britain, and at the sag time eajled for a reconciliation aitb Germany within a European framework. Effect of Rejection Be said the Government would folio* up any rejection of the treaty by proposing ratification of the Bonn xpeements. This would be done at a brief Parliamentary session in a few webs, which would presumably mean toe recall of deputies from their rinnrn recess. He said the Atlantic alliance reamed the basis of French policy and haeb security. “I say solemnly that » Government will refuse to conite any suggestion aimed at deflectarw from this alliance,” he said. * Mendes-France told the Assembly tee were no secret military agree- ' testa in connexion with the E.D.C., except for two strictly technical agreetenta which had no political signifi«re. “I confirm what was said by ay predecessor when asked about the ssne subject The only secret agreesvstl tohich exist are strictly technical ass two in number. They 'have no gsfitteal significance," he said. The two secret agreements dealt witbc-O) the division of forces, and <8 Ma exchange of intelligence refssta The special military agreement st tot-division of forces provided that tariff the first stage of the E.D.C. rase would have 14 divisions and Ganany 12. Advantage* Seen Mr Mendes-France said there were ■outages and disadvantage* in acomg the E.D.C. The biggest advan-Wt-no doubt, was that it would link as Federal Republic of Germany to .8 would also represent a stage in neaeh-German conciliation, but noJMF in the Assembly would deny that tom were also drawbacks Involved in agfieation, he added.