CONTROL OF THE SAAR

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27501, 8 November 1954, Page 11

CONTROL OF THE SAAR

Further Series Of Talks

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) PARIS, November 7. France and Germany plan to hold further talks on the Saar, but the date has yet to be fixed, a French Foreign Office spokesman said today. The main topic at the talks would be the future of the Saar’s economic relations with France and Germany, the spokesman stated. The agreement, signed by Mr Mendes-France and West Germany’s Chancellor, Dr. Adenauer, on October 23, said the Saar’s economic relations with Germany should eventually become “similar” to those with France, which has an economic union with the territory. According to French diplomatic quarters other points to be raised at the talks are:— (1) The British and American guarantee for the new Saar status. (2) Transfer of the coal and steel pool organisatipn from Luxembourg to Saarbruecken. (•3) Approval of the Saar agreement by the other member nations of the West European Union. A Bonn message said that the Deutscher Saar Bund (German Saar Association) today put up brightlycoloured posters at Bonn, proclaiming: “The Saar German—Away with the Separatists.” and “German Unity with the Saar—German Land is Inseparable.” In a statement, the Bund rejected the Saar agreement signed by Dr. Adenauer in Paris last month. The agreement Would not bring about a reconciliation between France and Germany, the statement claimed. The Bund demanded that the Saar’s inhabitants be allowed to “express their desire to remain part of the German State,” -and called for new talks between France and West Germany on the Saar’s future. “Bowed to Revolt” Dr. Adenauer bowed to a revolt in his own Government against the Saar agreement, and told his Cabinet he would ask France to reopen negotiations in the bitterly-disputed issue, the United Press reported earlier from Bonn. Dr. Adenauer yielded to pressure from the moderate Rightist Free Democrats (F.D.P.), who share in his coalition government. He promised to ask Mr MendesFrance to send his Cabinet chief, Mr Jean-Marie Soutou, to Bonn to reopen the Saar talks with German officials. » The revolt against the proposed Saar settlement threatened to impede and possibly to upset the London-Paris agreements laboriously worked out for restoration of German sovereignty and the rearming of the country as a partner of the West. The F.D.P. announced to Dr. Adenauer that it would refuse to vote for ratification unless the Saar agreement was again negotiated to make it more acceptable to Germany. The Germans have particularly objected to the internationalisation of the Saarland, which at various times in history has been physically a part of Germany.