The Assembly,
With reference to the fact that Signor De Gasperi, the Italian Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, in his address to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 16th September, was emphatic that, a solution of the question of the Saar was a matter of common concern to the nations of Europe;
Considering that the Members of the Council of Europe, in the Preamble to the Statute, have recognised the principle of political liberty and the rule of law as being the basis of all genuine democracy, and that it has been laid down in Article 1 of the Statute that the organs of the Council shall pursue the aims of the Council by discussion of questions of common concern;
Considering that the question of the Saar comes into the category of questions of common concern to the nations of Europe;
Bearing in mind that Franco-German negotiations have been opened and that, according to recent statements, it can reasonably be hoped that they will reach a favourable conclusion;
Considering that the negotiators attach great importance to the smooth progress of the negotiations;
Considering that it will be for the population of the Saar to give its opinion freely and democratically, without external influence or pressure, on the question of Europeanisa-tion;
Expresses the desire that no attempt be made from external sources to influence the internal political situation and the free judgment of the population of the Saar, in order that the conditions may be fulfilled which will enable all the Member States of the Council of Europe to consider the results of a referendum as expressing the free will of that population.