No. 252
Editorial Note
On August 30 the French National Assembly voted to discontinue debate on the European Defense Community Treaty thus ending any hope that it would become the vehicle for West German integration into Europe. The defeat of the EDC brought on a frantic search for alternatives which led Foreign Secretary Eden and Secretary Dulles to visit Europe during September with the aim of securing the restoration of sovereignty to the Federal Republic of Germany and obtaining its membership in NATO. The success of these aims was achieved at nine-power, four-power, and North Atlantic Council meetings in London and Paris in September and October during which it was agreed to terminate the occupation regime in the Federal Republic, to admit West Germany to the Western European Union (WEU) and NATO, and during which Adenauer and Bidault managed to reach an agreement on the status of the Saar.
For documentation on the events described above, see volume V, Part 2, pages 1114 ff.