https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/c8b9d9bea29d4a90a2efb63d4d2f3534.pdf 59f99a2ab730bba892d599611327ed3c PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertft de la LoisurJ'acces a {'information 1 j-M & WASHINGTON TALKS Xye7y_jLSK^<y- tL Miscellaneous No. 9 (1953) Documents relating to the Tripartite Conference Washir^tor^ July 10-14, 1953 Presented by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to Parliament by Command of Her Majesty July 1953 LONDON HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY FOURPENCE OFFICE NET Cmd. 8903 000051 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information CONTENTS 1. The Communique of the Conference issued on July 14, 1953 ... 2. Text of a Note from the Acting Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom to the Soviet Ambassador at London dated July 15, 1953 Page 3 6 I 2 000052 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information / No. 1 I H E COMMUNIQUE OF THE CONFERENCE ISSUED ON JULY 14, 1953 The Foreign Minister of France, M. Georges Bidault, the Acting Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, the Marquess of Salisbury, and the Secretary of State for the United States, Mr. John Foster Dulles, met and consulted together at Washington from July 10 to 14, 1953. I In the course of their consultations, they reviewed a wide range of common problems of concern to the three Governments. The topics considered have been diverse, but the entire conference has been inspired by one dominant purpose. That has been to seek solutions fulfilling the common hope of their governments and peoples for peace, freedom, and justice. They are certain that these same aspirations are shared by peoples everywhere. The three Ministers are convinced that solid foundations for peace can be built only by constructive action to end oppression and remove causes of instability and sources of conflict. Those who genuinely want peace must seek to restore liberty, hope, and human dignity. In their meetings, the Ministers have sought answers to existing problems consistent with these principles. This has been the spirit leading to their conclusions on the future of Europe, the restoration of German unity and of Austrian independence, and the establishment of peace in Korea and Indo-China. The same spirit inspires their desire to see true liberty restored in the countries of Eastern Europe. In each case, they have sought means offering the greatest hope of satisfying the general desire for freedom, security, and well-being. They believe that their proposed solutions will help to achieve that stability based on consent which alone can reduce tension and guarantee a durable peace. It is the earnest hope of the three Ministers that the Soviet Union will approach outstanding problems in the same spirit. In so doing the Soviet Union will contribute to a lasting peace assuring the security of all. II The three Foreign Ministers have reaffirmed their resolve to pursue vigorously the policies upon which their Governments have agreed within the framework of the Atlantic Treaty(1). These policies include the work for European unity of the six European countries which have already set up the Coal and Steel Community and whose Governments have signed the Treaty for the European Defence Community(2). The three Governments are determined to safeguard, in accordance with the North Atlantic Treaty, the freedom, the common heritage and the civilisation of their peoples, based on the principles of democracy, freedom of the individual and the rule of law. They have emphasised their resolve to continue the common defence effort necessary to redress the present lack of balance of power and thus to contribute to collective security and to the maintenance of international peace. The Ministers re-affirmed that the North Atlantic Alliance is fundamental to the foreign and defence policies of the three Governments. They were agreed that the improved prospects of peace were largely due to the existence of the alliance and that its defensive strength must be maintained. They wish to pay tribute to the vital work of the North Atlantic Council. (') " Treaty Series No. 56 (1949)," Cmd. 7789 (2) "Miscellaneous No. 9 (1952)," Cmd. 8562 3 19995 A 2 000053 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information The three Ministers are instructing their Governments' Permanent p —>resentatives to the North Atlantic Council concerning the discussions the ve held in order that the other member nations of NATO may be informed in accordance with established practice. Ill Convinced that no effort should be spared to strengthen European unity within the Atlantic Community, the three Ministers have noted that the Coal and Steel Community, the result of a French initiative, is now operating successfully. The establishment of the European Defence Community constitutes a necessary step to the same goal; meanwhile the work of creating a European Political Community is being pursued by the six Governments. They have noted the steps already taken or contemplated by the British Government to establish close links with these communities. The three Ministers were therefore agreed that: (a) the above institutions of a European Community will strengthen the Atlantic Community and will in turn be strengthened by association with it; (b) those constructive efforts to build a stable, secure European Community are a major contribution toward world peace. Since the European Community corresponds to the lasting needs of its members and their people for peace, security and welfare, it is to be looked upon as necessary in itself and not linked up with existing international tensions; (c) such a Community, peaceful by its very nature, is not directed against anyone. The interests and security of all countries cannot be better safeguarded than by the removal of causes of conflict in Europe. Indeed, the provisions laid down in the European Defence Community Treaty are a guarantee that its forces would never be used in the service of aggression; (d) designed to put an end to the conflicts of the past, the European Community does not exclude any State; on the contrary, the six member-countries have repeatedly stressed that other free countries of Europe may become members of the Community or be associated with it. The three Ministers have also given further consideration to the problem of the re-unification of Germany. The grave events which took place recently in Berlin and in the Soviet Zone once again gave proof of the will to independence and the indomitable determination for freedom of the inhabitants of these areas. These developments have confirmed the view of the Ministers that the early re-unification of Germany, in accordance with the legitimate aspirations of the German population, would be a great contribution to the easing of international tension. The three Powers have made sustained efforts to reach this goal. They have, in the course of recent years, addressed several notes with constructive proposals to the USSR, the last dated September 23, 1952 to which no reply has yet been received. These notes responded to the overwhelming desire of the German people to see unity re-established in freedom, as reflected most recently by the Resolution of the German Bundestag of June 10 of this year. An early and orderly progress in this direction requires the co-operation of the Soviet Government. Mindful of the special urgency which recent events have given to the question of the unification of Germany, the three Powers have resolved to make a new effort to bring to an end the division of Germany. 000054 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information t T> three Governments have therefore decided, in consultation with the Ger. Federal Government, to propose a meeting in the early autumn of the Foreign Ministers of France, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the USSR to discuss directly the first steps which should lead to a satisfactory solution of the German problem, namely, the organisation of free elections and the establishment of a free all-German government. This meeting should also consider the conclusion of the Austrian Treaty. IV The three Foreign Ministers reviewed the situation in the Far East. In reviewing the Korean situation the three Ministers reaffirmed their admiration for the gallantry of the United Nations forces, including the indomitable forces of the Republic of Korea, defending the free world's cause. They reaffirmed their strong support of the efforts of the United Nations Command to conclude an early armistice consistent with the United Nations' aims and the determination of their governments to continue to work toward that end. They agreed to pursue every effort to assist the stout-hearted and sorely tried Koreans to reunite peacefully under institutions of their own choosing. They considered that, in existing circumstances and pending further consultation, the common policies of the three Powers towards Communist China should be maintained. They resolved that, if the Communists should renew their aggression in Korea after an armistice and again threaten the principles defended by the United Nations, their governments would as members of the United Nations again support the restoration of peace and security. The Foreign Ministers were of the opinion that an armistice in Korea must not result in jeopardising the restoration or the safeguarding of peace in any other part of Asia. They hope that any armistice accepted by the United Nations would be a step forward in the cause of peace everywhere, and in particular in the Far East. The current situation in Indo-China was examined. The three Foreign Ministers paid tribute once again to the heroic efforts and sacrifices of the soldiers of the French Union, be they from France, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos or other parts of the Union. They agreed that the struggle in defence of the independence of these three nations against aggressive Communism is essential to the Free World, and they exchanged views on various measures to hasten a satisfactory outcome and the restoration of peace in IndoChina. The Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom and the United States noted with great satisfaction the proposal of the French Government to open discussions with each of the Governments of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam with a view toward completing their sovereignty and independence. They agreed that this initiative was a most important and auspicious step toward perfecting a free association of these four nations, since the internal security and stability of the Associated States are best safeguarded by freely established constitutional regimes. They noted that the French Union offers a harmonious and flexible framework within which the mutual interest of the participants may be guaranteed and their individual interests reconciled. They are convinced that the objective of the French Government is to perfect with the Associated States that mutually desirable cohesion which is indispensable to the success of the common struggle for the independence of the three States and which is therefore of fundamental importance to the security of the whole of South-East Asia. 5 000055 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information % No. 2 . * THE ACTING SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFF^itS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM TO THE SOVIET AMBASSADOR AT LONDON The Acting Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the Soviet Ambassador and has the honour to make the following communication. The development of the international situation and the recent events in Eastern Germany and in Berlin have intensified the universal desire to see peace more firmly established and to ease existing tensions in a way consistent with the fundamental right to freedom. While recognising the fact that enduring peace can only be ultimately assured when certain basic problems such as controlled disarmament can be dealt with, Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom desire to dispose . now of those problems which are capable of early solution. The conclusion of the German and Austrian treaties, which are long overdue clearly constitutes an essential element of the European settlement which Her Majesty's Government regard as a major contribution to peace. A German peace treaty can only be negotiated with the participation of a free and representative all-German Government in a position freely to discuss such a treaty. Such a government can only result from free elections. The conditions under which such a government should be formed and enjoy full liberty of action constitute a problem which is capable of early solution if there is good will on all sides. It is equally clear that no real progress can be made toward a general relaxation of tension in Europe so long as this problem remains unsolved. In their Notes to the Soviet Government, the last of which is that of September 23, 1952, to which no answer has yet been received, Her Majesty's Government made constructive proposals which were fully reflected in the resolution of the German Bundestag of June 10 of this year. These proposals are designed to satisfy the unanimous desire of the German people for unity in freedom. Mindful of the even greater urgency which recent events have given to German unification, Her Majesty's Government are determined to make a new effort so as to bring to an end the abnormal situation to which the German people is subjected. They have therefore decided, after consulting the German Federal Government and the German authorities in Berlin, to propose to the Soviet Government a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of France, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union. This meeting of limited duration might begin about the end of September at a place to be mutually agreed. The subjects for discussion should be the following: (1) The organisation of free elections in the Federal Republic, the Eastern Zone of Germany and in Berlin. This would involve discussion inter alia of the necessary guarantees for freedom of movement, freedom of action for political parties, freedom of the press and the enjoyment of the basic freedoms by all Germans before, during and after the elections. (2) Conditions for the establishment of a free all-German Government with freedom of action in internal and external affairs. These are essential steps which must precede the opening of discussions with the Soviet Government for a German peace treaty, itself a major element of a general settlement. Her Majesty's Government also consider that at this first meeting agreement should finally be reached on the Austrian treaty. Foreign Office, S.W.I. July 15, 1953. (19995) Wt. 823—1663 K16 7/53 DX. PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN 000056 � Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDNW02194 Title A name given to the resource Documents relating to the Tripartite Conference Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 7/10/1953 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived "United Kingdom-United States-Canada - Security arrangements re." RG25-A-3-b, vol. 5956, 50219-AB-40, part 1, Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Department of External Affairs Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource Atomic energy, tripartite cooperation Description An account of the resource Washington Talks: Documents relating to the Tripartite Conference presented by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to Parliament by Command of Her Majesty Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en