German Occupation To End As Quickly As Possible

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27472, 5 October 1954, Page 13

German Occupation To End As Quickly As Possible

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, October 4. Britain, France and the United States have issued the following Declaration of Intent for a speedy restoration of German sovereignty: “Recognising that a great country can no longer be deprived of the rights properly belonging to a free and democratic people; and desiring to associate the Federal Republic of Germany on a footing of equality with their efforts for peace and security the governments of France, the United Kingdom and the United States of America desire to end the Occupation regime as soon as possible.

“The fulfilment of this policy calls for the settlement of problems of detail in order to liquidate the occupation and to prepare for the future, and requires the completion of appropriate Parliamentary procedures. “In the meantime the three governments are instructing their High Commissioners to act forthwith in accordance with the spirit of the above policy. “In particular the High Commissioners will not use the powers which are to be relinquished unless in agreement with the Federal Government except in the field of disarmament and demilitarisation, and in cases where the Federal Government has not been able for legal reasons to take the action or assume the obligations contemplated in the agreed arrangement,” the Declaration of Intent concluded. In the section on Germany of the final Protocol of the conference the Western Big Three declared that their policy was to end the occupation regime in the Federal Republic as soon as possible, to revoke the Occupation Statute and to abolish the Allied High Commission. “The three governments will continue to discharge certain responsibilities in Germany arising out of the international situation. It is intended to conclude and to bring into force as soon as the necessary parliamentary procedures have been completed the appropriate instruments for these purgoses “General agreement has already een reached on the content of the instruments and representatives of the four governments will meet in the very near future to complete the texts “The agreed arrangements mav hr put into effect either before or simultaneously with the arrangements loi the German defence contribution.” The section on Germany said that as these arrangements would take a little time to complete the three governments had in the meantime issued the Declaration of Intent. Brussels Treaty Decision

/The section relating to the Brussels Treaty said the treaty would be strengthened and extended to “make it a more effective focus of European integration.” “For this purpose the following arrangements have been agreed upon:— ‘The German Federal Republic and Italy will be invited to accede to the treaty, suitably modified to emphasise the objective of European unity, and they have declared themselves ready to do so. The system of. mutual automatic assistance in case of attack will thus be extended to the German Federal Republic and to Italy ‘ The structure of the' Brussels Treaty will be reinforced. In particular, the Consultative Council provided in the treaty will become a council with powers -of decision. “The activities of the Brussels Treaty Organisation will be extended to include further important tasks as follows:—the size and general characteristics of the German defence contribution will conform to the contribution fixed for E.D.C. “The maximum defence contribution to N.A.T.O. of all members of the Brussels Treaty Organisation will be determined by a special agreement fixing levels which can only be increased by unanimous consent. “The strength and armaments of the internal defence forces and the police on the Continent of the countries members of the Brussels Treaty Organisation will be fixed by agreements within that organisation having regard to their proper functions and the existing levels and needs. Control of Armaments “The Brussels Treaty Powers agree to set up as part of the Brussels Treaty Organisation an agency for the control of armaments on the Continent of Europe of the Continental members of the organisation.”

The statement said the functions of the agency would be to ensure that the prohibition of the manufacture of certain types of armaments as agreed among the Brussels Powers was being observed.

It would also control the level of yocks held by each country on the Continent of atomic, chemical and biological weapons, long-distance missiles, guided missiles, magnetic mines, warships of more than 3000 tons displacement, and bomber aircraft for strategic purposes.