Western Union Invites U.S. And Canada To Sign Atlantic Pact

Wanganui Chronicle, 28 October 1948, Page 5

Western Union Invites U.S. And Canada To Sign Atlantic Pact

PARIS, Oct. 26—The five Western Union Foreign Ministers have decided to ask the United States to sign the North Atlantic pact for mutual military security. The Ministers, who ended a two-day session, agreed to instruct their respective Ambassadors to take up the project with the American State and Defence Departments in the near future. A communique issued after the meeting states: “The Council made a preliminary study of North Atlantic , security and the conversations on it which occurred in Washington. They | unanimously agreed on the* principle of a defensive North Atlantic pact and the next steps to be taken.” The communique adds that the five I Ministers also approved the principles governing the defence policy of the five Powers and decided to establish a committee of experts to study financial and economic questions raised by the organisation for the defence of Western Europe. The Council, after considering the question of European unity, decided I to set up a committee consisting of I five French, five British, three Bel- | gian, three Netherlands and two i Luxembourg members to report oni steps to be taken for securing a great-1

er measure of unity between tie European countries. The communique says this committee will examine the Franco-Belgian suggestion for convening the European Assembly and a British suggestion on the establishment of a European Council, appointed by and responsible to the Governments,’ to deal with matters of common concern. The committee will consider all suggestions made by private organisations. The ocmmittee i will report to the next meeting of the consulative council in January. | ,A Reuter correspondent says that the observers expect the American and Canadian Western Union representatives to meet on the North Atlantic defence pact as soon as possible after the American Presidential elections. It is obvious that Canada and the United States have already committed themselves fully in principle to the ideaMr. Ernest Bevin conferred with the French Defence Minister, M. Ramadier, and according to a British source they discussed on a general basis France’s overall armament position, and in particular how France, with her limited budgetary allocations, could meet her commitments under the five nations pact.