President Kennedy." The President expressed deep appreciation for himself and for the American people for this expression of sympathy. He paid a tribute to the late President [Theodor] Heuss, the distinguished first President of the Federal Republic.

The President and the Chancellor both emphasized the importance which they attach to this opportunity to meet early in their Administrations. Their extensive discussions serve to confirm the close understanding and high measure of agreement between the two governments on major international issues. These conversations have made it emphatically clear that there will be continuity in the policies of the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany as they work toward common objectives.

The President and the Chancellor had an extended discussion of the current state of East-West relations. They were determined that the basic rights and interests of the free nations must be defended, and in particular they agreed that there should be no arrangement that would serve to perpetuate the status quo of a divided Germany, one part of which is deprived of elementary rights and liberties. On this basis, the President and the Chancellor agreed that it is highly important to continue to explore all opportunities for the improvement of EastWest relations, the easing of tensions, and the enlargement of the prospects of a peace that can be stable because it is just. They continue to hope that this effort of the Western powers will meet a constructive response from the Soviet Union.

The President and the Chancellor agreed that the central requirement in the policy of the West must be to increase the strength and effectiveness of the emerging Atlantic partnership. They reaffirmed their conviction that an increasingly unified Europe is vital to this effort.

The Chancellor stated, and the President agreed, that efforts to achieve such unity must always respect the traditionally open trading relationship Europe has enjoyed with the United States and the rest of the Free World. The President and the Chancellor agreed that the forthcoming trade negotiations should be guided by the double objective of enlarged international trade and increasing economic integration in Europe." They agreed that agricultural as well as industrial products must be included and that the negotiations should proceed without delay.

The President reviewed the measures being taken to stabilize the United States' international payments position, and the Chancellor reaffirmed his cooperative support for this program.

The President and the Chancellor emphasized the importance of extending effective aid to the developing nations. The Chancellor described the progress being made in the work of the German Development Aid Service (German Peace Corps), and the President responded by describing the expansion of the American Peace Corps and the wide

public support which it has won.50 The President and the Chancellor agreed that these two undertakings would gain from close cooperation, and as a part of this process of cooperation, the President has requested Mr. Sargent Shriver to make an early visit to Bonn to take part with German colleagues in discussions of the work of the two programs.

The President and the Chancellor reaffirmed their shared commitment to the peaceful reunification of the German people in freedom, by self-determination. The Chancellor stressed the desire of the Federal Republic to examine all paths that might lead to this goal. The Chancellor also stated that the Federal Republic of Germany would continue its efforts to improve its relations with the nations of Eastern Europe.

The President renewed the commitment of the Government and people of the United States to maintain the present six-division level of combat forces in Germany, as long as they are needed. The Chancellor welcomed the President's further assurance that the United States would continue to meet its commitments in Berlin. The President expressed appreciation for the cooperative arrangement whereby United States dollar expenditures for American military forces in Germany are offset by German purchases of military equipment in the United States. It was agreed that this arrangement should continue. The President and the Chancellor agreed on the need for all members of NATO to cooperate closely in strengthening the ability of the Alliance to meet all challenges. In particular, they expressed their conviction that the proposal for a multilateral nuclear force now being discussed by several NATO partners 51 would provide a new means of strengthening Western defense.

The President and the Chancellor agreed that in all these matters there will be great value to both their governments in the maintenance of ever closer and more intimate exchanges of views and of information. Where common interest is so great, both sides can only gain from the closest cooperation and from the prompt and continuous exchange of views by whatever means are most appropriate in each

In addition, the President and the Chancellor agreed that they themselves would establish and maintain the closest personal communi

cation.

Finally, the President and the Chancellor reaffirmed their commitment not simply to close German-American cooperation, but to the wider interest of both countries in the growing partnership of free nations of the Atlantic and of the world.

THE FRENCH-GERMAN BASIS OF EUROPEAN UNION

IV-85

FRENCH-GERMAN AGREEMENT "TO THE ORGANIZATION AND PRINCIPLES OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO STATES": Joint Declaration Signed at Paris by the President of the French Republic (General de Gaulle) and the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (Adenauer), January 22, 1963 52

General de Gaulle, President of the French Republic and Dr. Konrad Adenauer, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany,

Following the conference which was held in Paris on January 21 and 22, 1963, and at which were present, on the French side, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Armed Forces Minister and the Minister of Education, on the German side, the Foreign Minister, the Defense Minister and the Minister of Family and Youth,

Convinced that the reconciliation of the German people and the French people, ending a centuries-old rivalry, constitutes a historic event which profoundly transforms the relations between the two peoples,

Aware of the solidarity uniting the two peoples, as much from the point of view of their economic and cultural development,

Noting in particular that youth has recognized this solidarity and is called on to play a decisive role in the consolidation of Franco-German friendship, Recognizing that a reinforcing of cooperation between the countries constitutes an indispensable stage on the way to a united Europe which is the aim of the two peoples,

Have given their agreement to the organization and principles of cooperation between the two states such as they are set out in the treaty signed on this day," SIGNED. The President of the French Republic,

The Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany,

Drawn up in Paris on January 22, 1963, in two copies (in the French language and in the German language).

IV-86

"THE TREATY ON FRANCO-WEST GERMAN COOPERATION... IS A KIND OF BATTERING RAM READY TO STRIKE AT THE EDIFICE OF EUROPEAN PEACE": Note of the Soviet Government Handed to the French Ambassador at Moscow (Dejean) by the Soviet Foreign Minister (Gromyko), February 5, 1963 54

English-language text transmitted by Reuters and printed in the Washington Post, Jan. 23, 1963.

63

54

Post, doc. IV-89.

Excerpts in Keesing's Contemporary Archives, 1963-1964, vol. XIV, pp. 19509-19510. A Soviet note of protest was delivered on the same day to the German Ambassador at Moscow (Gröpper); excerpts ibid., pp. 19510-19511.

IV-87

"FRANCE AND GERMANY ENGAGING IN CLOSE COOPERATION ... CAN ONLY... SERVE THE INTERESTS OF PEACE IN EUROPE": Note From the French Government to the Soviet Government, Delivered March 30, 1963 55

IV-88

"THE RECONCILIATION OF FRANCE AND GERMANY
IS ESSENTIAL TO THE SECURITY OF THE WEST": Reply
Made by the President (Kennedy) to a Question Asked at a News
Conference, Bonn, June 24, 1963 56

The United States never registered any objections to the [FrenchGerman] treaty." What I think we are concerned about is the maintenance of the integrity of NATO. And it seemed to me that the form in which the treaty passed the Parliament here in the Federal Republic took very important cognizance of the NATO obligation and the NATO responsibility and the NATO defense. I don't think that we can find strength in bilateral arrangements that we can in multilateral arrangements.

The reconciliation of France and Germany, I think, is essential to the security of the West. Europe has been torn by civil wars over a good many hundreds of years. To end that prospect, to bring France and Germany together, is a matter I would think of the greatest priority to the French and German people and a matter of the greatest interest to us. Twice the United States has been brought into war across the Atlantic because France and Germany were not friends. So I want to make it very clear that we support strongly the reconciliation and the effort at friendship which is being made and has been made over a number of years. We also want to be sure that NATO stays strong, because I think NATO is essentially the security of the Federal Republic, and we regard it as essentially the security of the United States. Those who do not place comparable importance on it, it seems to me, are ignoring history and are over-optimistic of the future.

Excerpts ibid., p. 19511. Excerpts of the German reply of Mar. 29, to the Soviet note of Feb. 5, 1963, are printed ibid.

The reply printed here is taken from p. 507 of Public Papers of the Presi dents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, 1963.

57 Infra.

5 The ratification bill adopted by the parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany Mar. 16, 1963, contained a preamble which stated commitments of the Federal Republic to the Atlantic alliance; see The New York Times, Mar. 17, 1963.

IV-89

TREATY BETWEEN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY AND THE FRENCH REPUBLIC ON GERMANFRENCH COOPERATION, Signed at Paris by the President of the French Republic (General de Gaulle) and the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (Adenauer), January 22, 1963, Entered Into Force July 2, 1963 59

Following the Joint Declaration of the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and the President of the French Republic dated January 22, 1963, on organization and principles of cooperation between the two countries, the following provisions have been agreed upon:

I. ORGANIZATION

(1) The Heads of State and Government shall give the necessary directives as required and shall follow regularly the execution of the program hereafter laid down. For this purpose, they shall meet as often as necessary and, in principle, at least twice a year.

(2) The Foreign Ministers shall supervise the execution of the program as a whole. They shall meet at least every three months. Without prejudice to contacts normally established through the Embassies, high officials of the two Foreign Ministries-charged respectively with political, economic, and cultural affairs-shall meet every month alternately in Bonn and Paris to assess the state of current problems and to prepare the meeting of the Ministers. Furthermore, the diplomatic missions and consulates of the two countries as well as their permanent representatives in international organizations shall establish the necessary contacts on problems of common interest.

(3) Regular meetings shall take place between the appropriate authorities of the two countries in the fields of defense, education, and youth. These meetings shall in no way affect the functioning of already existing organisms-the German-French Cultural Commission and the Permanent Group of the General Staffs-whose activities shall, on the contrary, be developed. The Foreign Ministers shall be represented in these meetings to insure the overall coordination of cooperation.

(a) The Ministers of Defense and of the Army shall meet at least once every three months. Furthermore, in the same intervals, the French Minister of Education shall meet the personality who will be designated on the German side to follow up the execution of the program of cooperation in the cultural field.

(b) The Chiefs of staff of the two countries shall meet at least once every two months. Should they be unable to attend, they shall be replaced by their responsible deputies.

(c) The Federal Minister for Family and Youth Affairs or his deputy shall meet the French High Commissioner for Youth and Sports at least once every two months.

(4) In each of the two countries an Interministerial Commission shall be charged with following up the problems of cooperation. This Commission shall comprise representatives of all ministries concerned and shall be presided over by a high official of the Foreign Ministry. Its task shall be to coordinate the action of the Ministries concerned and to report at regular intervals to its Government on the state of German-French cooperation. The Commission shall also be responsible for making appropriate suggestions for implementing the program of cooperation and its possible extension to other fields.

69

English-language text printed as Appendix I to S. Doc. 21, 88th Cong., June 17, 1963, pp. 50-53.

60 Ante, doc. IV-85.