German treaty to be initialled

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33069, 9 November 1972, Page 15

German treaty to be initialled

f.V .Z.P.A. -Reuter— Copyright) BONN, November 8. West and East Germany today will initial an historic treaty that will put their long-estranged relations on a normal footing.

Five months of ardu-, ous talks will be crowned' when the treaty is initi-| ailed at a ceremony in the Bonn Chancellery by the two chief negoti-. ators, the West German] State Secretary (Mr Egon Bahr) and his East German counterpart, Dr Michael Kohl. This comes after approval; of the treaty's text yesterday by the East German | Council of Ministers and the] Bonn Cabinet. The treaty must still be ] approved by both Governments —almost a formality on the East German side, but; imbued with a slight element of doubt in West Germany because elections in two; weeks could bring the. present opposition to power.] The “shadow Chancellor,”; Dr Rainer Barzel, said yes-] terday that if his Christian Democrats replaced Chancellor Willy Brandt’s coalition | Government they would, if necessary’, seek to improve ] the treaty through further talks with the East Germans. Political observers thought.. however, it very unlikely that this would actually take; place.

Officially, details of the treaty were withheld pending the initialling, but Mr Brandt told an election rally yesterday at Fuerth, Bavaria, that the agreement in no way violated West Germany’s basic law (Constitution). The Chancellor’s assertion made it self-evident that Bonn had managed to force through a clause satisfying 'the preambular paragraph of the basic law which pledges all Germans to work for a united Germany. Political observers said that it could be inferred from this that full sovereign recognition of East Germany had been withheld and the diplomatic representation between Bonn and East Berlin would be at the plenipotentiary level—lower than if ambassadors were being exchanged. This step was made possible by an agreement last Sunday between the ambassadors of the four World War II victor Powers which still hold nominal administrative rights over divided Germany. The agreement between the United States, Soviet, British, and French ambassadors reaffirmed their rights and responsibilities. Besides easing relations on the human plane, by loosening travel restrictions for

example, the treaty will among other things allow both Germanies to apply for membership in the United Nations, without fear that one or other of the four Powers would veto their application.