CFM files, lot M–88, box 158, communiqué and declaration
Communiqué Issued by the Foreign Ministers of the United States, United Kingdom, and France1
The Foreign Ministers of France, the United Kingdom and the United States have held meetings in Washington from September 10 [Page 1307] through September 14. The three Foreign Ministers have met frequently in the last few years primarily because of the special and explicit responsibilities of their Governments in regard to Germany and Austria. The meetings equally offer a convenient opportunity for the three Ministers to exchange views on world developments and informally to review problems of mutual concern to their three countries.
The Foreign Ministers have noted with satisfaction the results already achieved by their three countries, together with other free nations of the world, in order to insure their common security and to safeguard the peace. They again recorded the fundamental unity of the policies of their three governments in regard to the many and acute problems facing them today.
The Foreign Ministers have reviewed the relationship of their countries to the German Federal Republic, and have agreed on instructions to the Allied High Commission for negotiation of mutually acceptable agreements with the Federal Government, the effect of which will be to transform that relationship completely.2
As a result of the agreement reached by the three Foreign Ministers in Brussels last December, the High Commission has already explored with the Federal Government the way to establish relations between the three Powers and the Federal Republic on as broad a contractual basis as possible, in the light of German participation in Western Defense. The Foreign Ministers have now instructed the High Commission to proceed to negotiations with the Federal Government, which will, it is hoped, culminate in early agreements between the four Governments to enter into effect together with the agreement for German participation in Western Defense through the proposed European Defense Community, whose forces would form part of the joint defense forces under the North Atlantic Supreme Command.
The Foreign Ministers have agreed on certain general principles to guide the High Commission in its negotiations with the Federal Government. As stated in the Tripartite Declaration issued today3 the guiding principle of their policy continues to be the integration of the Federal Republic on a basis of equality within a European community itself included in a developing Atlantic Community. Such integration would thus be inconsistent with the retention in future of an occupation status or of the power to interfere in the Federal Republic’s domestic affairs.
The Ministers believe that the agreements now to be reached with the Federal Government should provide the basis for its relationship to their countries until a peace settlement with a unified Germany becomes possible. The division of Germany, however, presents the conclusion of such a settlement at this time. This division and the security [Page 1308] problem confronting the Federal Republic obliges the Allies to retain, in the common interest, certain special rights but only in relation to the stationing of armed forces in Germany and the protection of the security of those forces, as well as to questions affecting Berlin and Germany as a whole, including the eventual peace settlement and the peaceful reunification of Germany.
The High Commission will proceed to negotiations with the Federal Government as rapidly as possible. The Ministers hope to be able to consider at an early meeting final drafts both of the agreements to be reached by the three Powers and the Federal Republic and of the agreement for the establishment of a European Defense Community including Germany.
The three Foreign Ministers were unanimous in stating that in the view of their Governments there is no justification for any further delay in the conclusion of a treaty for the re-establishment of a free and independent Austria. This has been the constant aim since the conclusion of hostilities. They will not desist in their efforts to bring the Soviet Government to the same view and to that end they have decided to make a new and resolute effort in the meetings of the Austrian Treaty Deputies to fulfill the long over-due pledge to the Austrian people.
The Italian Government has pointed out the contradiction between some provisions of the Italian peace treaty and the present Italian position in the family of free nations. The Ministers studied sympathetically this question which will be the subject of further conversations between the Governments.
Note was taken of the necessity further to examine in collaboration with the other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization the most effective use of their combined resources taking full account of the social and economic as well as of the military needs of their peoples.
While recognizing the gravity of the world situation, especially in the face of the continued defiance of the United Nations by the forces of aggression in Korea, the Ministers nevertheless found solid grounds for confidence in the growing strength and unity of the free world.
The three Ministers on behalf of their Governments and peoples restate their fidelity to the principle contained in the United Nations Charter that international differences must be resolved by peaceful processes and not by force or threat of force. They therefore express the hope that the forthcoming meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations in Paris will afford a real opportunity for contacts and exchanges of views which the three Foreign Ministers are, for their part, prepared fully to use.