WESTERN FOREIGN MINISTERS DECIDE TO BRING GERMANY INTO EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

Grey River Argus, 12 November 1949, Page 5

WESTERN FOREIGN MINISTERS DECIDE TO BRING GERMANY INTO EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

NO FINAL DECISIONS ON YUGOSLAVIA OR CHINA (.Received 9.35 p.m.) PARIS, November .11 The Big Three Western .Foreign Ministers ended their two-day conference on Germany to-day, and they issued a. communique declaring their intention to support and to foster the progressive integration of the German people into the European community. A British spokesman said that, on the problem of recognising Chinese Communists and aiding Tito against Russia there was a wide exchange of views. The Ministers were not called upon to do anything concrete with those problems for the; moment.

DECISION ON WESTERN GERMANY The Ministers announced that they were putting Germany on trial to show her peaceful and democratic intentions. The Ministers were aware of the heavy responsibility placed upon them to cSnserve and to consolidate the peace of Europe and of the world. They desired to assert their determination to meet that responsibility with both firmness and humanity—firmness in their resolve that no country should be permitted to menace the peace and security of its neighbours; humanity in their recognition that lasting peace could be found only in a closer association of the peoples of the world. Since both great world wars sprang from a militaristic spirit emanating from within Germany, and since the countries represented by the Foreign Ministers were in occupation of German territory, it was natural that their consideration of the problem of peace in Europe should have been directed largely towards Germany’s relations with Europe, the situation in Germany, and their policy in respect of Germany. The Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their policy, as expressed in the Occupation Statute, of giving to the Federal Republic a wide area of free determination in the conduct of German affairs in the area, which, under the statute, would grow wider as the administration of the Federal Republic gave confidence that it was proceeding towards the establishment of a free, democratic and peaceful Germany. At the same time, the Ministers considered it appropriate to support, and foster, the progressive integration of the German people into the European community. Their decisions were based on the expectation that the Government of the German Federal Republic wotfld give further evidence of its pacific intentions, and of its sincere desire to associate itself with those nations devoted to the cause of democracy, justice under law, and peace. Consequently, the Ministers had given their High Commissioners certain instructions and powers, which would permit them to achieve the Ministers’ aims.