HC Deb 10 May 1954 vol 527 cc826-7
8. Mr. Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will publish in HANSARD, or as a White Paper, the Petersburg Agreement, signed in Bonn on 22nd November, 1949, between the West German Chancellor and the three Western High Commissioners; and if he will make a statement in view of the fact that the proposals under the European Defence Community contravene this agreement.

Mr. Nutting

The Petersburg Protocol of November, 1949, was laid before Parliament in a White Paper as Command Paper 7849.

I presume that the second half of the hon. Gentleman's Question relates to the provisions in the Petersburg Protocol regarding the continued demilitarisation of the Federal territory. Development subsequent to the signature of this Protocol led the late Government, in concert with the French and United States Governments, to change their policy and to agree with the German Federal Government upon a German contribution to the defence of the West. The Bonn Conventions and the European Defence Community Treaty between them lay down how this contribution shall be made.

Mr. Lewis

Are we to take it, therefore, that the later actions do not in any way contravene the Petersburg Agreement or is the later action with regard to E.D.C. in direct contradiction to that original agreement?

Mr. Nutting

The hon. Gentleman should have heard from my answer that subsequent developments led the late Government to change their policy and follow a policy which led to the signature of the Bonn Convention and the E.D.C. Treaty. The latter part of this Question might have been better addressed to the late Government.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Can the hon. Gentleman state, for the purpose of an accurate historical record, on what date the Agreement was either revoked or annulled?

Mr. Nutting

There was no question of revoking or annulling the Agreement. As the hon. and gallant Gentleman knows perfectly well, at the meeting of the Defence Ministers of the North Atlantic Council, I think it was, in Brussels in December, 1950, it was agreed that there should be German participation in the defence of Europe which should in no way weaken the N.A.T.O. structure.