EUROPEAN CONVENTION IS SIGNED

Grey River Argus, 20 April 1948, Page 7

EUROPEAN CONVENTION IS SIGNED

For Economic Co-operation PARIS, April 18. Signing the European- Economic Co-operation Convention took place in the historic Clock Room of the French Foreign Office, where eighteen delegations, including those led by the ' British and French Military Governors in Germany, gathered. Mi' Ernest Bevin (British Foreign Secretary) opened the ceremony. He said: “We..are now coming to the end of the beginning,” said Mr Bevin. “General ..Marshall’s memorable speech on June 5, 1947, gave the Governments and peonies of Europe a new stimulous to self help through mutual help. Since then neither the American Government and people nor the Government and peoples of Europe represented have wasted time. The American Government and Congress passed with generous speed legislation designed to meet Europe’s needs. We in turn have now put our pledges intn solemn obligations and devised an organisation to help administer American Aid, also to bring about a permanently sound European economy structure.” The new organisation, he said, left room for development and expansion to include all the European countries which would genuinely subscribe to the aims of the organisation. The French Foreign Minister (M. Bidault) said that the document was unique in the history of Europe. Nations, by economic unification were building Europe—an indispensable factor for the prosperity and stability of the world. General Sir Brian Robertson signing on behalf of General Lucius Clay and himself, said that the German bizonal authorities welcomed the opportunity for Germany to join in the plan. The first plenary session of the .Marshall Aid European organisation Permanent Council opened in private at the French Foreign Office. The Belgian Prime Minister (M. Spaak) was elected president of the Permanent Council of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation. The delegates elected Sir Edmund Hall-Patch, president of the organisation’s guilding Executive Committee. -A Frenchman, M. Robert Marjolin. was elected secretary-general. The economic headquarters of the organisation will be in Paris. The protocol to the main text of the convention shows that Britain will pay 31 per cent, towards the cost of maintaining the new organisation. The list of provisional contributions which operates for the first financial year gives the British and United States combined zonal responsibility as 13.2 per cent, and the French .zone as 1.75 per cent. France’s share is 16.2 per cent. The preamble records/ the signatories’ conviction that a strong, prosperous Europe is essential for the preservation of liberty and that it would contribute to the maintenance of peace.