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Documents on Germany, 1944-1959 : background documents on Germany, 1944-1959, and a chronology of political developments affecting Berlin, 1945-1956
(1959)
Statement at Geneva by Secretary of State Dulles, on Germany and European security, October 29, 1955, pp. 170-171
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Statement at Geneva by Foreign Minister Molotov and revised Soviet draft treaty on security in Europe, October 31, 1955, pp. 171-175
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Page 171
DOCUMENTS ON GERMANY, 1944-59 tern of European security. I think, in order that we can really pro- ceed in a businesslike way, which I know we all want, that it would be extremely useful if the Soviet Union would show us the other side of its coin, the one that has the pattern of German reunification. Then we can see whether there is a basis of agreement there. Because in our case, it has been made clear, German reunification is the premise of our proposed security treaty. If we cannot reach agreement about the reunification of Germany, then obviously our security proposals are irrelevant because they are predicated upon the reunification of Germany, and in that case it is academic to attempt to elaborate proposals because the foundation may not exist. But if, as I hope, a foundation exists in our being able to find agreement about the reunification of Germany, then the hypothetical questions which have been put can be developed because we will know on what premise it is permissible to proceed. Statement at Geneva by Foreign Minister Molotov and Revised Soviet Draft Treaty on Security in Europe, October 31, 1955 1 Mr. Chairman, we have had an exchange of opinions on the pro- posal by the Soviet Union on the establishment of a system of collec- tive security in Europe as well as on the relevant proposal by France, Great Britain and the USA. This exchange has shown that the necessary agreement among the members of the Meeting on such an important problem as that of ensuring security in Europe is still lacking. Though all members of the Meeting stated their desire to seek agreed ways to solve this problem, the difference in the approach to its solution has nevertheless become evident. The Soviet Government is of the opinion, as it was heretofore,'that the interests of improvement of peace in Europe are best satisfied by the establishment of such a system of security in Europe, in which all those European states that wish to participate in it, irrespective of their social and state order, including the United States of America, would participate. The USSR Government is convinced that it is this path, the path of joint efforts of European states, instead of the preservation of military groupings, that is capable of ensuring stable guarantees for the peace- ful development of European nations. 'In- spite of the fact that we have not yet reached the necessary agreement among us on this point, the Soviet Delegation holds that possibilities of achieving positive results on European security at our Meeting are not exhausted. The Soviet Delegation proposes to discuss the possibility of con- cluding a security treaty for Europe with the participation, in the first instance, of a more limited group of the states concerned. It is known that the Directives agreed upon by the Heads of Government instruct us to consider various proposals aimed at achieving Euro- pean security, including a security pact both for Europe and "for a part of Europe". In raising this question, the Soviet Government takes account of those constructive suggestions that were made at the Geneva Conference of the Heads of Government, in particular by Sir 'Ibid., pp. 76-82. 171
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