EUROPEAN ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27567, 8 December 1950, Page 7

EUROPEAN ARMY

Arming Of German Units ACCEPTED BY FRANCE NZPA—Reuter—Copyright PARIS, Dec. 6. The French Government has agreed to accept the essential points of the American plan for arming German combat teams and allowing them to take part in the Atlantic defence force. The vital decision was taken by the Prime Minister, M. Rene Plevei), and his leading Ministers today after an all-day struggle with Socialist Ministers. At one time the Socialist Ministers threatened to withdraw from the Cabinet rather than agree to what the v said amounted to the scrapping of the French plan for a European army, but M. Herve Alphand, France’s representative at the Council of Deputies of the Atlantic Treaty organisation, returned to London tonight with the authority to sign the recommendations on German rearmament worked out by the deputies. Essential features of the German rearmament plan are: 1. German units of combat team or brigade size are to be part of the European army. 2. An immediate start of technical preparations, including the organisation of German recruiting offices. 3. No German Defence Minister or Defence Ministry. 4. The appointment of an Atlantic High Commissioner to take the place of a European Defence Minister until the Defence Minister is appointed. The North Atlantic Treaty deputies are expected to approve the final draft of the recommendations on German rearmament and the Atlantic Treaty army tomorrow. The draft will then pass to a joint meeting of deputies and the Treaty Military Committee.