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DOCUMENTS ON GERMANY, 1944-59
peace; in other words, that the reunification of Germany is one of the
problems, a settlement of which will serve to consolidate peace.
We have come here with proposals to deal with each of these two
problems, the solution of which would serve the interests of consolidat-
ing peace. We have put on the table yesterday, through President
Pinay, the proposal for the unification of Germany, which reflects in
essence the Eden Plan which was put forward at our Berlin Confer-
ence, and the new proposals to give security assurance in connection
with the reunification of Germany.
The Eden Plan is, as I say, one with which we are all familiar; and
it is reintroduced now, substantially in its initial form, because it is
based upon principles which are basic and sound and which reflect
the directive that we, should seek a "settlement of the German ques-
tion and the reunification of Germany by means of free elections
carried out in conformity with the national interests of the German
people."
The suggested treaty of assurance on the reunification of Germany
Yes new and it represents an honest, sincere, painstaking effort to carry
out the directive in that respect and to meet what we recognize to be
the legitimate preoccupations of the Soviet Union and, indeed, of
all of us, as against the possibility that Germany might again become
a militaristic state. The proposals include all of the features which
we were instructed to consider; provisions for an obligation not to
resort to force, that is one; provision to deny assistance to an aggres-
sor, that is another; limitation, control and inspection in regard to
armed forces and armaments, that is another; the establishment be-
tween East and West of a zone in which the disposition of forces
will be subject to mutual agreement. All of those aspects which we
were instructed to consider are realistically incorporated in the out-
line of a treaty which has been submitted by the three Western Powers.
And in addition to the features which we were instructed to con-
sider the proposal contains under the paragraph numbered 8 a sug-
gested agreement to react against aggression which involves under-
takings of the utmost gravity and which for the United States would
constitute an extremely serious and far-reaching commitment having
regard to our traditional attitude toward these matters and to our
geographical separation from the European continent. It is, how-
ever, something that I believe the United States would be prepared
to do as a part of a contribution to bring about the increased security
for all which would come with the reunification of Germany.
I was very glad to hear Mr. Molotov say that he would study these
proposals more carefully, because it is quite obvious that his initial
reaction is based upon an inadequate understanding of the document.
As I understood Mr. Molotov, his basic objections to the proposal, as
he, understood the proposal, were in essence two: One to the effect
that the proposal required Germany to become a party to NATO and
the other was that the sanctions of the treaty were mere "consulta-
tions."
Dealing with the first point, let me say that there is nothing what-
soever in the treaty proposal which conflicts with the provision of the
Eden Plan that the all-German Government shall have, authority to
assume or reject the international rights and obligations of the Fed-
eral Republic and the Soviet Zone of Germany. Let me make it per-
fectly clear and emphatic: There is nothing whatsoever in the treaty