Page 176

176          DOCUMENTS ON GERMANY, I 9 4 4-5 9
Soviet Proposal for Establishment of an All-German Council,
November 2, 1955'
ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ALL-0-RMAN COUNCIL
Guided by the desire to further the development of full cooperation
between the German Democratic Republic and the German Federal
Republic and the creation of conditions for the settlement of the
German problem and for the reunification of Germany by means of
free elections in conformity with the national interests of the German
people and the interests of European security, the Foreign Ministers
of the U.S.S.R., the U.S.A., and the United Kingdom and France
declare the following:
Under the present conditions when the German people are deprived
of the possibility of living in a united state, the need to bring about
cooperation between the G.D.R. and the G.F.R. which would facili-
tate the settlement of the problem of Germany's national reunification,
is becoming ever more urgent. That purpose would be met by the
establishment by agreement between the German Democratic Republic
and the German Federal Republic of an all-German body to coordi--
nate their efforts in the political, economic and cultural life of the
German people and also to cooperate with other states in the consoli-
dation of peace.
Such a representative body of the German people could be an All--
German Council to be established on the basis of the following
principles:
1. An All-German Council shall be formed, composed of the-
representatives of the parliaments of the German Democratic
Republic and the German Federal Republic, as a consultative body
to discuss matters, in the solution of which the German Demo-
cratic Republic and the German Federal Republic are interested.
2. Mixed committees shall be set up under the All-German
Council, composed of representatives of the governments of the
German Democratic Republic and the German Federal Republic,
on matters relating to economic and cultural ties between the two
German states, German currency and intra-German financial
transactions, customs, post and telegraph, communications, etc.
3. The All-German Council shall bring about accord on the
numerical strength, armaments, and disposition of units required
to ensure the defence of the frontiers and territories of the Ger-
man Democratic Republic and the German Federal Republic.
4. The All-German Council shall bring about accord on matters
relating to the participation of the German Democratic Republic
and the German Federal Republic in measures designed to con-
solidate European security and shall consider by mutual agree-
ment questions pertaining to the establishment of prerequisites
for the unification of Germany, as a peaceful and democratic
state.
The Foreign Ministers of the U.S.S.R., the U.S.A., the United
Kingdom and France express the hope that the German Democratic
Republic and the German Federal Republic will make the necessary
efforts to achieve agreement on the establishment of the All-German
Council.
1Ibid., pp. 9&-919.