have become entitled as a result of the war, as well as the right to exercise or enforce the same, derive from the conquest of Germany and the assumption of supreme authority by the Allies and are not affected by the termination of the state of war; and

WHEREAS the Congress of the United States by a joint resolution, approved October 19, 1951 (Public Law 181, 82d Congress),' has resolved that the state of war declared to exist between the United States and the Government of Germany is terminated and that such termination shall take effect on the date of enactment of such resolution:

Now, THEREFORE, I, HARRY S. TRUMAN, President of the United States of America, pursuant to such joint resolution, do proclaim that the state of war between the United States and the Government of Germany declared by the joint resolution of Congress approved December 11, 1941 was terminated on October 19, 1951.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

10. RELATIONS BETWEEN THE GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC AND THE ALLIES: Statement to the Press by the Foreign Ministers of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France and the Chancellor and Foreign Minister of the German Federal Republic, November 22, 1951 2

The Foreign Ministers of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States met today with Dr. Adenauer.

This meeting, the first occasion on which the Chancellor and Foreign Minister of the German Federal Republic had jointly conferred with the foreign ministers of the three Western Powers, marked in itself a notable advance in the progressive association of the German Federal Republic with the West on the basis of equal partnership. All participants welcomed the opportunity given for a general review of a problem of mutual concern.

In the course of the conversation, which dealt with the general political situation of the Federal Republic in connection with the present world situation, the four foreign ministers reviewed the progress so far made in the negotiations carried on in Bonn for the establishment by freely negotiated agreements of a new basis for the relationship between their countries.

3

In particular they examined the draft of a general agreement between the four Governments which had been prepared in Bonn. This is to establish the main principles of their future relationship and can only enter into force together with the related conventions.

165 Stat. 451.

2 Department of State Bulletin, Dec. 3, 1951, pp. 891-892. See S. Execs. Q and R, 82d Cong., 2d sess., pp. 9-22.

referred to below and the treaty establishing a European defense community.1

Certain outstanding points in the general agreement were settled and, subject to final confirmation by their Governments, the ministers have approved the draft of this agreement. It will not be signed or published at present, since the four Governments agree that it must be completed by a number of related conventions governing in more detail other important matters arising out of the future relationship between them. The ministers agreed on the need for rapid progress in the completion of all these related conventions.

The general agreement will be a concisive step toward the realization of the common aim of the three Western Powers and the Federal Government to integrate the Federal Republic on a basis of equality in a European community itself included in a developing Atlantic community.

With the coming into force of the general agreement and the related convention, the Occupation Statute with its powers of intervention in the domestic affairs of the Federal Republic will be revoked, and the Allied High Commission and the Offices of the Land Commissioners will be abolished. The three powers will retain only such special rights as cannot now be renounced because of the special international situation of Germany, and which it is in the common interest of the four states to retain. These rights relate to the stationing and the security of the forces in Germany to Berlin and to questions concerning Germany as a whole.

The mission of the forces stationed in Germany by the three powers will be the defense of the free world, of which the Federal Republic and Berlin form part. Their status will be settled in detail in one of the related conventions. Any disputes rising from the interpretation or application of the general agreement or the related conventionswith the exception of certain special rights-will be settled by a court of arbitration.

The Federal Republic will undertake to conduct its policy in accordance with the principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations and with the aims defined in the Statute of the Council of Europe.

The four ministers are agreed that an essential aim of the common policy of their Governments is a peace settlement for the whole of Germany freely negotiated between Germany and her former enemies, which should lay the foundation for a lasting peace. They further agreed that the final settlement of the boundaries of Germany await such a settlement.

They reaffirmed their intention to strive for the establishment of German unity and agree on the importance of the proposals now before the General Assembly of the United Nations designed to

1 Supra, pp. 1107-1150.

See S. Execs. Q and R, 82d Cong., 2d sess., pp. 25-88.

See ibid.. pp. 89-134.

Statute of May 5, 1949; supra, pp. 1001-1012.

5 See General Assembly Res. 510 (VI), Dec. 20, 1951; infra, pp. 1795–1797.

ascertain whether free elections can be held simultaneously in the Federal Republic, Berlin, and the Soviet zone of Germany.

The four foreign ministers consider the contractual arrangement to be concluded between their Governments as well as the treaties for the creation of an integrated European community as essential steps to the achievement of their common aim: A unified Germany integrated within the Western European community.

11. COMMUNIQUÉ BY THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM, AND FRANCE AND THE CHANCELLOR OF THE GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC, FEBRUARY 19, 1952 1

The Foreign Ministers of the United States, France and the United Kingdom and the Chancellor of the German Federal Republic met for discussions in the Foreign Office on the 18th and 19th of February. They reviewed the position reached in the parallel negotiations in Paris and in Bonn, now approaching a successful conclusion, for the establishment of the European defense community and for the creation of a new relationship between the three Western powers and the Federal Republic of Germany based on a series of freely negotiated conventions.3

2

The Foreign Ministers and the Chancellor are well pleased with the results of their work. They reached agreement on outstanding issues arising from the negotiations in Bonn. The question of Germany's financial contribution to European defense is dealt with below.

On the difficult problem concerning the future regulation and distribution in the interests of Western defense of arms production in the states of the European defense community they have reached certain conclusions and provided for a series of meetings which they are confident will produce speedy results.

They reached agreement on methods for dealing with the question. of war criminals now detained in the Federal Republic.

They reviewed the report made by the Executive Bureau of the Temporary Council Committee of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on the financial contribution of the Federal Republic to Western defense. The ministers agreed that this report, which reached them on the 16th of February, should be published tonight. There is every prospect that an agreed decision on the total financial contribution of the Federal Republic to defense will be reached by the end of the current week.

Negotiations on other matters arising out of this report, including

1 Department of State Bulletin, Mar. 3, 1952, pp. 325-326.

2 See supra, pp. 1107-1150.

3 See S. Execs. Q and R, 82d Cong., 2d sess., pp. 9-22, 25-134. See supra, pp. 1618-1620.

the distribution of the Federal Republic's contribution, will proceed at once in Bonn between representatives of the German Federal Republic and of the three powers.

The four ministers welcome the progress made towards the conclusion of the treaty for the establishment of the European defense community which will provide a solid foundation for the agreements to be concluded between the three Western powers and the Federal Republic of Germany. This treaty and the agreements will constitute a single structure designed to bring about the association of the Federal Republic with the free world and to solidify the defense of Western Europe.

The four ministers discussed the relationship between the European defense community and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and agreed on certain recommendations which will be made by the three foreign ministers to the NATO Council for settling this question.1 It will be the concern of the four governments, together with the other interested governments, to ensure the preservation and the progressive strengthening of the European defense community which, as a part of the wider Atlantic community, creates a partnership for peace.

The four ministers are agreed that continuing efforts should be made to accomplish the unification of Germany through democratic and peaceful means.

The four ministers are convinced that their meeting has removed the obstacles which have hitherto delayed the conclusion of the negotiations and has thus marked a decisive advance in the cause of peace.

12. THE BONN AGREEMENTS: Statement by the Secretary of State, May 26, 1952 2

3

The agreements that have been signed today are of great importance for each of the four countries represented here. The Federal Republic is attaining the independence in foreign affairs and authority in domestic matters which befit a free state. The United Kingdom, France, and the United States, together with the other free nations, are welcoming a new partner in their great effort to establish peace and security in the world.

Let us take a moment to examine what these agreements mean and what they are intended to accomplish.

The relations which follow from these agreements are fundamentally such as exist between countries closely associated in peace and friendship. When the agreements enter into effect, the Occupation will come to its formal close, and the Federal Government will deal with

1 See supra, p. 1171.

2 Department of State Bulletin, June 9, 1952, pp. 887-888.

Agreements of May 26, 1952; S. Execs. Q and R, 82d Cong., 2d sess., pp. 9-22, 25-165.

other governments on a normal basis. The U.S. Government is convinced that the agreements are just because problems arising from the war must be settled, and it is right to settle them in this fashion. The purpose of the agreements is to bring the Occupation to an end and this will be their effect.

There are still certain powers reserved to the United Kingdom, France, and the United States. But the important thing to remember about these powers is that they are not retained for any reasons which have to do with the Federal Republic alone. They are related to other factors entirely-to the necessity for the presence in Germany of troops whose mission is the defense of German peace and freedom and of peace and freedom throughout the free world, and to the unhappy fact that Germany is still a divided country. When these conditions no longer exist, the powers retained to deal with them will be withdrawn.

It is a matter of great regret and concern to the American Government that the task of restoring Germany as a whole is not completed. I feel deeply the absence on this occasion of those who might have represented the people of that part of Germany which is still under Soviet occupation. It would have been a more joyful occasion if they had been permitted to join us.

One of the great aims of the Western World, one of the great themes of its culture, and one of the great achievements of its people, has been freedom. Political and social freedom of the individual, freedom of his conscience and speech, have been what the West holds most dear. Since the end of the war the Three Powers have consistently worked to establish freedom throughout Germany, and their efforts have been met with invaluable cooperation on the part of the people of Western Germany and Berlin. Together, we have succeeded in bringing freedom to the greater part of Germany, but until freedom can be extended to the entire country, and until all Germans-East and West are reunited in freedom, the goal will not have been reached.

I can assure you of my Government's continued determination to press steadily toward this goal until the unity of Germany in freedom has become a reality.

In anticipation of the day when these agreements will have been accepted by the legislative bodies of our countries and will enter into effect, I wish to congratulate the Federal Republic on its new place among nations of the world. We have difficult problems ahead, and we can solve them only by working together. We are glad to have a new partner in this great cause. On behalf of the President of the United States and the American people, I welcome the Federal Republic on its return to the community of nations.