His Excellency Mr. Jean de Hauteclocque, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic in Brussels, Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg His Excellency Mr. Joseph Bech, Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Mr. Robert Als, Envoy Extraordinary and Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands His Excellency Baron C. G. W. H. van Boetzelaer van His Excellency Baron Binnert Philip van Harinxma thoe His Majesty the King of Great Britain, Ireland and the British The Right Honourable Ernest Bevin, Member of Parliament, His Excellency Sir George William Rendel, K. C. M. G., who, having exhibited their full powers found in good and due form, have agreed as follows: ARTICLE I Convinced of the close community of their interests and of the necessity of uniting in order to promote the economic recovery of Europe, the High Contracting Parties will so organize and co-ordinate their economic activities as to produce the best possible results, by the elimination of conflict in their economic policies, the co-ordination of production and the development of commercial exchanges. The co-operation provided for in the preceding paragraph, which will be effected through the Consultative Council referred to in Article VII as well as through other bodies, shall not involve any duplication of, or prejudice to, the work of other economic organizations in which the High Contracting Parties are or may be represented but shall on the contrary assist the work of those organizations. ARTICLE II The High Contracting Parties will make every effort in common, both by direct consultation and in specialized agencies, to promote the attainment of a higher standard of living by their peoples and to develop on corresponding lines the social and other related services of their countries. The High Contracting Parties will consult with the object of achieving the earliest possible application of recommendations of immediate practical interest, relating to social matters, adopted with their approval in the specialized agencies. They will endeavour to conclude as soon as possible conventions with each other in the sphere of social security. ARTICLE III The High Contracting Parties will make every effort in common to lead their peoples towards a better understanding of the principles which form the basis of their common civilization and to promote cultural exchanges by conventions between themselves or by other means. ARTICLE IV If any of the High Contracting Parties should be the object of an armed attack in Europe, the other High Contracting Parties will, in accordance with the provisions of Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, afford the party so attacked all the military and other aid and assistance in their power. ARTICLE V All measures taken as a result of the preceding Article shall be immediately reported to the Security Council. They shall be terminated as soon as the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to maintain or restore international peace and Security. The present Treaty does not prejudice in any way the obligations of the High Contracting Parties under the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations. It shall not be interpreted as affecting in any way the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security. ARTICLE VI The High Contracting Parties declare, each so far as he is concerned, that none of the international engagements now in force between him and any other of the High Contracting Parties or any third State is in conflict with the provisions of the present Treaty. None of the High Contracting Parties will conclude any alliance or participate in any coalition directed against any other of the High Contracting Parties. ARTICLE VII For the purpose of consulting together on all the questions dealt with in the present Treaty, the High Contracting Parties will create a Consultative Council, which shall be so organized as to be able to exercise its functions continuously. The Council shall meet at such times as it shall deem fit. At the request of any of the High Contracting Parties, the Council shall be immediately convened in order to permit the High Contracting Parties to consult with regard to any situation which may constitute a threat to peace, in whatever area this threat should arise; with regard to the attitude to be adopted and the steps to be taken in case of a renewal by Germany of an aggressive policy; or with regard to any situation constituting a danger to economic stability. ARTICLE VIII In pursuance of their determination to settle disputes only by peaceful means, the High Contracting Parties will apply to disputes between themselves the following provisions: The High Contracting Parties will, while the present Treaty remains in force, settle all disputes falling within the scope of Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute of the International Court of Justice by referring them to the Court, subject only, in the case of each of them, to any reservation already made by that Party when accepting this clause for compulsory jurisdiction to the extent that that Party may maintain the reservation. In addition, the High Contracting Parties will submit to conciliation all disputes outside the scope of Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute of the International Court of Justice. In the case of a mixed dispute involving both questions for which conciliation is appropriate and other questions for which judicial settlement is appropriate, any Party to the dispute shall have the right to insist that the judicial settlement of the legal questions shall precede conciliation. The preceding provisions of this Article in no way affect the application of relevant provisions or agreements prescribing some other method of pacific settlement. ARTICLE IX The High Contracting Parties may, by agreement, invite any other State to accede to the present Treaty on conditions to be agreed between them and the State so invited. Any State so invited may become a Party to the Treaty by depositing an instrument of accession with the Belgian Government. The Belgian Government will inform each of the High Contracting Parties of the deposit of each instrument of accession. ARTICLE X The present Treaty shall be ratified and the instruments of ratification shall be deposited as soon as possible with the Belgian Govern ment. It shall enter into force on the date of the deposit of the last instrument of ratification and shall thereafter remain in force for fifty years. After the expiry of the period of fifty years, each of the High Contracting Parties shall have the right to cease to be a party thereto provided that he shall have previously given one year's notice of denunciation to the Belgian Government. The Belgian Government shall inform the Governments of the other High Contracting Parties of the deposit of each instrument of ratification and of each notice of denunciation. In witness whereof, the above-mentioned Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Treaty and have affixed thereto their seals. Done at Brussels, this seventeenth day of March 1948, in English and French, each text being equally authentic, in a single copy which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Belgian Government and of which certified copies shall be transmitted by that Government to each of the other signatories. (L. S.) (L. S.) JOSEPH BECH. ROBERT ALS. For the Netherlands: (L. S.) W. VAN BOETZELAER. (L. S.) VAN HARINXMA THOE SLOOTEN. For the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: COMMUNIQUÉ ON FIRST MEETING OF THE PERMANENT CONSULTA1 TIVE COUNCIL The French Foreign Office published the following communiqué on the meeting of signatories to the Brussels treaty April 18, 1948 The five Foreign Ministers of the signatory powers of the treaty of Brussels meeting Paris April 17, 1948 in consultative council according to Article 7 agreed on the following provisions to insure application of accord of March 17: 1. The permanent consultative council is composed of the five Ministers of Foreign Affairs. The council will meet in each of the capitals of the signatory states in turn each time that such a meeting appears necessary and at least once every three months. 2. The permanent organ of the council will be constituted by diplomatic representatives in London of Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands and designated representative of the British Government. It will be assisted by a secretariat. It will meet at least once a month. 3. The security problems covered by the pact normally come within the responsibility of the qualified ministers of the different countries. who will meet in London to discuss them each time that will become necessary. In order to follow these same questions a permanent military committee will be constituted in London under the authority of the council and under the control of the political representatives named in paragraph two. 4. As regards economic, social and cultural questions the council will decide on a periodic meeting of competent ministers and experts in a designated place. In order to follow the work undertaken in 1 Printed from telegraphic text. the course of these meetings the council will decide on the constitution of special committees appointed for this purpose. 5. All the committees mentioned above are to report to the consultative council. The five Ministers of Foreign Affairs also decided that the first meeting of the permanent organ will take place April 24 next. 15. EXCERPTS FROM PRESIDENT TRUMAN'S ADDRESS TO THE CONGRESS March 17, 1948 [On the same day the five European governments signed the Brussels Pact, President Truman addressed the Congress on the critical nature of the European situation. Parts of that message are reproduced below.] Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Congress, I am here today to report to you on the critical nature of the situation in Europe, and to recommend action for your consideration. Rapid changes are taking place in Europe which affect our foreign policy and our national security. There is an increasing threat to nations which are striving to maintain a form of government which grants freedom to its citizens. The United States is deeply concerned with the survival of freedom in those nations. It is of vital importance that we act now, in order to preserve the conditions under which we can achieve lasting peace based on freedom and justice. The achievement of such a peace has been the great goal of this Nation. Almost 3 years have elapsed since the end of the greatest of all wars, but peace and stability have not returned to the world. We were well aware that the end of the fighting would not automatically settle the problems arising out of the war. The establishment of peace after the fighting is over has always been a difficult task. And even if all the Allies of World War II were united in their desire to establish a just and honorable peace, there would still be great difficulties in the way of achieving that goal. But the situation in the world today is not primarily the result of the natural difficulties which follow a great war. It is chiefly due to the fact that one nation has not only refused to cooperate in the establishment of a just and honorable peace, but-even worse-has actively sought to prevent it. The Congress is familiar with the course of events. You know of the sincere and patient attempts of the democratic nations to find a secure basis for peace through negotiation and agreement. Conference after conference has been held in different parts of the world. We have tried to settle the questions arising out of the war on a basis which would permit the establishment of a just peace. You know the obstacles we have encountered. But the record stands as a monument to the good faith and integrity of the democratic nations of the world. The agreements we did obtain, imperfect though they were, could have furnished the basis for a just peace-if they had been kept. But they were not kept. |