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DOCUMENTS ON GERMANY, 19 4 4-5 9
7. The parties to the treaty undertake not to participate in any coali-
tion or alliance nor to conclude agreements the objectives of which are
contrary to the purposes of the treaty on collective security in Europe.
8. In order to implement the provisions of the treaty concerning
consultation among its parties and to consider questions arising in
connection with the task of insuring security in Europe, the following
shall be provided for:
(a) regular or, when required, special conferences at which
each state shall be represented by a member of its government or
by some other specially designated representative;
(b) the setting up of a permanent consultative political com-
mittee the duty of which shall be the preparation of appropriate
recommendations to the governments of the states which are par-
ties to the treaty.
(a) the setting up of a military consultative organ the terms of
reference of which shall be determined in due course.
9. Recognizing the special responsibility of the permanent members
of the United Nations Security Council for the maintenance of in-
ternational peace and security, the parties to the treaty shall invite
the Governments of the U.S.A. and the Chinese People's Republic to
designate representatives to the organs set up in accordance with the
treaty in the capacity of observers.
10. The present treaty shall not impair in any way the obligations
of European States under international treaties and agreements to
which they are party, provided the principles and purposes of such
agreements are in conformity with those of the present treaty.
11. The duration of the treaty shall be 50 years.
Statement by the Western Foreign Ministers, on the Berlin
Conference, February 19, 1954
[Extracts]
The major problem facing the Berlin Conference was that of Ger-
many. The three Western delegations urged that the reunification of
Germany should be achieved through free elections, leading to the
creation of an all-German Government with which a peace treaty
could be concluded. They put forward a practical plan to this end.
Their proposals were not accepted by the Soviet delegation, even as a
basis for discussion, and they were forced to the conclusion that the
Soviet Government is not now ready to permit free, all-German elec-
tions or to abandon its control over Eastern Germany.
The three Western Governments will continue their efforts to achieve
German reunification in freedom and by peaceful means. In the
meantime, they have suggested certain measures which could reduce the
effect of the present division of Germany and its consequences for
Berlin. They have proposed that the three High Commissioners
should study these questions with the Soviet High Commissioner. As
regards Berlin, the three Governments reaffirm their abiding interest
in the security of the city as expressed in the Tripartite declaration of
1Ibid., pp. 218-219.
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