Situation resulting from the setback of the Treaty of Paris, with a view to possible alternative solutions

Resolution 63 (1954)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

This Resolution was adopted by the Assembly at its 29th Sitting, on 24th September, 1954 (see Doc. 315, Report of the Committee on General Affairs).

Thesaurus

Section A

The Assembly,

Being resolved to perform the consultative role assigned to it, especially in the present crisis of European unity caused by the setback to the Treaty of Paris,

Notes that the extensive debate which has taken place in the Asaembly, and the important statements made by the Foreign Ministers of Belgium and France, have made it possible for the Assembly to fulfil this role on the eve of the London Conference ;

Expresses its agreement with the main objects of European policy, as reaffirmed by the six Governments signatory to the Treaty of Paris at the Brussels Conference, namely :

• to strengthen European co-operation in order to protect Western Europe against the forces which menace it ;
• to avoid the neutralisation of Germany in any form ;
• to contribute to the unification of Germany, and to its participation in the common defence ;
• to foreshadow a form of Western political and economie integration ;

Considers that the policy for European defence must be guided by the following four principles :

i The necessity for a speedy strengthening of that defence ;

ii The reinforcement of the Atlantic alliance, as the linchpin of the security of the free world, and the development of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ;

iii The participation of the German Federal Republic on the basis of complete equality of rights ;

iv The necessity to pursue without relaxation the effort to achieve the political and economie unification of Europe.

Section B

1. The Assembly welcomes the convening of the London Conference. It considers the principal aim of this Conference to be the search for new formulae that will enable all the European States present at the Conference to participate fully in a European organisation, which might be based on a modification and an extension of the Brussels Treaty, involving the full equality of rights and responsibilities of all the participating States, and forming an integral part of N. A. T. O.

The Assembly expresses the wish that this organisation, of which the basis will be laid down at the London Conference, should make provision for the participation of other European States not present at the Conference.

The Assembly considers that any new system of defence should make provision for:

• in the military sphere :
  i the strengthening of N.A.T.O. by the conclusion of long-term agreements on the relative proportions and mutual control of the armed forces based on the continent of Europe ;

  ii the development of the administrative and technical integration of European armed forces based on the continent of Europe, especially with regard to logistics services ;

  iii provisions establishing a control of the manufacture of armaments in Europe, especially in strategically exposed territories ;
• in the political sphere : a form of European political direction and democratie control acceptable to all the European States participating in the Conference including the United Kingdom.

2. The Assembly considers that the negotiations to be held in London should not exclude the resumption of the negotiations interrupted in Brussels on 22nd August, with a view to agreement upon new formulae for the integration of European armed forces which would be acceptable to the Parliaments of all the States signatory to the Treaty of Paris. This military integration, which should not compromise the fulfilment, whether simultaneously or at a later date, of the aspirations inherent in the Luxembourg Resolution of 10th September, 1952, should in all circumstances provide for democratie control being exercised by a parliamentary assembly, the latter to be elected as soon as possible by universal suffrage. These new formulae should provide for the closer association of the United Kingdom and possibly the association of other European States.

3. The Assembly reserves the right to formulate during its next meeting a further Opinion on these problems as a whole and on the solutions which may be proposed for them.