Changing relations

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32459, 20 November 1970, Page 13

Changing relations

(N .Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) WARSAW, Nov. 18. Major developments in Polish-German relations from the coming to power of Adolf Hitler to the initialling yesterday of the West GermanPolish treaty were as follows:

January, 1934: Nazi Germany and Poland signed 10year non-aggression treaty, renouncing use of force in 'the settlement of their differences.

March, 1939: Nazi Government demanded return of Danzig to Germany and a corridor through Polish territory to East Prussia. Demands were rejected. April, 1939: Hitled announced that non - aggression treaty of 1934 ceased to exist.

September 1, 1939: Germany invaled Poland, leading directly to outbreak of World War 11.

July, 1945: At Potsdam Conference the four Great Powers agreed on Polish-Ger-man frontier along Oder and Neisse Rivers pending an eventual German peace treaty. Poland gained 40,000 square miles of German territory. July, 1950: East Germanyl and Poland signed friendship treaty.

. January, 1951: East Germany and Poland signed agreement declaring OderNeisse line to be the PolishGerman frontier. Soviet Union recognised it as a final boundary.

February, 1967: The Polish Foreign Minister (Mr Adam Rapacki) declared that Poland wanted to normalise relations with West Germany. November, 1997: The West German Chancellor, (Dr Kurt Goerg Kiesinger) proposed Bonn-Warsaw talks about border.

March, 1968: National Congress of West German Social Democratic Party urged recognition of Oder-Neisse line May, 1969: Polish Communist leader (Mr Wladyslaw Gomulka) invited West Germany to conclude separate treaty recognising OderNeisse line.

October, 1969: Mr Stefan Jedrychowski, Polish Foreign Minister, said that Warsaw was prepared to negotiate with West Germany despite traditional differences.'

February 3, 1970: A Bonn envoy, Mr Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz, arrived in Warsaw to begin negotiations on treaty to normalise relations. April 21, 1970: The West German Chancellor (Mr Willy Brandt) wrote to Mr Gomulka assuring him that Bonn respected Poland’s postwar frontiers.

November 3, 1970: The West German Foreign Minister (Mr Walter Scheel) begain final round of talks in Warsaw.

November 14, 1970: Ppland and West Germany reach final agreement on treaty to normalise relations.