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INTRODUCTION I. GENERAL VIEW OF THE CONFERENCE The Conference of Paris opened on 29 July, 1946, and closed on 15 October, 1946. Its purpose was to consider the treaties of peace with Italy, Roumania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Finland, using as the central point of discussion the draft treaties prepared by the Council of Foreign Ministers. All meetings of the Plenary Conference and of the Commissions were held at the Palais du Luxembourg. Twenty-one States fulfilled the requirement for full membership laid down in the Moscow communique, that " The Conference will consist of the five members of the Council of Foreign Ministers, together with all members of the United Nations which actively waged war with substantial military force against European enemy States —namely, U.S.S.R., United Kingdom, United States of America, China, France, Australia, Belgium, Byelo-Russian S.S.R., Brazil, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia, Greece, India, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Union of South Africa, Yugoslavia, and Ukrainian S.S.R." The delegation of New Zealand was composed as follows : Delegates — The Hon. H. G. R. Mason, K.C., M.P., Attorney-General and Minister of Education. The Rt Hon. W. J. Jordan, P.C., High Commissioner for New Zealand in the United Kingdom. Alternate Delegates — Mr A. D. Mcintosh, Secretary of External Affairs. Mr R. M. Campbell, Official Secretary, N.Z. High Commissioner's Office, London (first part of Conference). Advisers —■ Brigadier R. S. Park, C.8.E., N.Z. Military Liaison Officer, London. Professor A. G. B. Fisher. Mr D. P. Costello, New Zealand Legation, U.S.S.R. Mr F. H. Corner, Department of External Affairs. A committee of the whole to consider the rules of procedure of the Conference was set up at the first Plenary Session on 29 July, commenced work on 30 July, and presented its report to the Plenary Conference on 8 August.