Office of the Historian

Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 197

No. 517
Proposal of the Soviet Delegation1

[Translation]

confidential
FPM(54)47
Berlin, February 10, 1954.

General European Treaty on Collective Security in Europe

(basic principles)

For the purpose of ensuring peace and security and of preventing aggression against any state in Europe,

for the purpose of strengthening international co-operation in conformity with the principles of respect for the independence and sovereignty of states and of non-interference in their internal affairs,

striving to prevent the formation of groupings of some European states directed against other European states, which gives rise to friction and strained relations among nations, and to achieve concerted efforts by all European states in ensuring collective security in Europe,

the European states, guided by the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, shall conclude a General European Treaty on Collective Security in Europe, the basic provisions of which shall be as follows:

1.

All European states, irrespective of their social systems, may become party to the Treaty provided they recognise the purposes and assume the obligations set forth in the Treaty.

Until the formation of a united, peace-loving, democratic German state, the German Democratic Republic and the German [Page 1191] Federal Republic may be parties to the Treaty enjoying equal rights with other parties thereto. It is understood that after the unification of Germany the united German State may become a party to the Treaty on an equal footing with any other European state.

The conclusion of the Treaty on Collective Security in Europe shall not affect the competence of the four powers—the U.S.S.R., the U.S.A., the United Kingdom and France—to deal with the German problem which shall be settled in accordance with decisions previously taken by the Four Powers.

2.
The Parties to the Treaty undertake to refrain from aggression against one another and also to refrain from having recourse to the threat or the use of force in their international relations and, in accordance with the United Nations Charter, to settle by peaceful means and in such a way as not to endanger international peace and security in Europe any dispute that may arise among them.
3.
Whenever, in the view of any Party to the Treaty, there is danger of an armed attack in Europe against one or more of the Parties to the Treaty, the later shall consult each other in order to take effective steps to remove the danger and to maintain security in Europe.
4.
An armed attack in Europe against one or more of the Parties to the Treaty by any state or group of states shall be deemed to be an attack against all the Parties. In the event of such an attack, each of the Parties, exercising the right of individual or collective self-defence, shall assist the state or states so attacked by all the means at its disposal, including the use of armed force, for the purpose of re-establishing and maintaining international peace and security in Europe.
5.
The Parties to the Treaty undertake jointly to discuss and determine as soon as possible the procedure under which assistance, including military assistance, shall be provided by the Parties in the event of there arising in Europe a situation requiring a collective effort for the re-establishment and maintenance of peace in Europe.
6.
The Parties to the Treaty, in conformity with the provisions of the United Nations Charter, shall immediately inform the Security Council of the United Nations of any action taken or envisaged for the purpose of exercising the right of self-defence or of maintaining peace and security in Europe.
7.
The Parties to the Treaty undertake not to participate in any coalition or alliance nor to conclude agreements the objectives of which are contrary to the purposes of the Treaty on Collective Security in Europe.
8.
In order to implement the provisions of the Treaty concerning consultation among its Parties and to consider questions arising in connection with the task of ensuring security in Europe, the following shall be provided for:
(a)
regular or, when required, special conferences at which each State shall be represented by a member of its government or by some other specially designated representative;
(b)
the setting up of a permanent consultative political committee the duty of which shall be the preparation of appropriate recommendations to the governments of the states which are Parties to the Treaty;
(c)
the setting up of a military consultative organ the terms of reference of which shall be determined in due course.
9.
Recognising the special responsibility of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security, the Parties to the Treaty shall invite the Governments of the U.S.A. and the Chinese People’s Republic to designate representatives to the organs set up in accordance with the Treaty in the capacity of observers.
10.
The present Treaty shall not impair in any way the obligations of European states under international treaties and agreements to which they are party, provided the principles and purposes of such agreements are in conformity with those of the present Treaty.
11.
The duration of the Treaty shall be 50 years.

  1. This proposal was introduced at the fourteenth plenary on Feb. 10. For a record of that meeting, see Secto 117, Document 451.↩