The Assembly,
Having taken note of the communiqués issued at the close of the meetings of the Council of N. A. T. O. held in December, 1952 and in April, 1953, and of the Second Annual Report of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe of June, 1953 ;
Recalling the terms of its Resolution 21 adopted during the second part of the Fourth Ordinary Session ;
Noting with satisfaction that the general progress in the construction of the European defence system has been maintained and, moreover, that Greece, Turkey and Yugoslavia are actively pursuing the co-ordination of their military defence effort,
1. Emphasises, however, the urgent need to pursue the defence effort without relaxation, there being no evidence that the military threat to Europe has in any way diminished ;
2. Welcomes the assurances that have been given that the military mission of N. A. T. O. in the event of war is to defend all the territories of its Member countries, at any time, and that the strategic directives for effective fulfilment of this mission have been agreed and are already in force ;
3. Draws attention to the danger to the European defence effort which would result from a decrease in U. S. Foreign Aid unless offset by an increase in the volume of U. S. private investment abroad and by a liberalisation of the tariff policy of the U. S. A. ;
Having regard to the expressed opinion of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe that German participation in the defence of Europe is essential and that further delay in mobilising this participation will prove a serious handicap to the European defence effort ;
Recalling that the establishment of the E. D. C. represents at the present time and in the foreseeable future the only acceptable means of incorporating the German military potential in the European defence system,
4. Urges the Parliaments of the six States which are signatories to the Treaty establishing a European Defence Community to proceed without delay to the ratification of the Treaty ;
Reaffirming the importance, in the interests of European economic and social stability, of a fair distribution of the burden of rearmament among the countries and social classes concerned,
5. Expresses the hope that every effort will be made to develop further, on an equitable basis, among the European Member countries of N. A. T. O., the joint long-term financial and production programmes which have been successfully inaugurated ;
Recalling that the responsibilities of N. A. T. O. apply solely to the defence of the metropolitan North American and European territories of its member countries ;
Recognising that European countries may experience difficulty in meeting their obligations to N. A. T. O. and in carrying, at the same time, the burden of their responsibilities overseas,
6. Urges that every effort be made to extend the collaboration among all the Members of N. A. T. O. in such a way as to ensure that the European countries are in a position fully to meet their overseas responsibilities.