Evening star., 1948-10-25
Western Europe
Opens Sessions
On Arms Pact
Alliance With U. S.
And Canada Is Hope
Of Foreign Ministers
by the Asseeiated Press

EAt1o, OCC. Io.-1ne rFOrelgn
Ministers of the f1ve-nation
Western European Union met
today, with a possible military
alliance with the United States
and Canada reported foremost
on their agenda.
Authoritative American and Brit
ish sources said linking OF the
Brussels union with the American
powers in North Atlantic pact will
be the central theme of the sessions
which began this morning.
Of1lcial British sources said the
ministers decided soon after today's
meeting began that future sessions
will be completely restricted. Be-
cause Of the nature of the talks,
these sources said, official spokes-
men Of the various delegations will
not hold briefing meetings with
newsmen.
There will be a joint communique
when the talks end, the sources said.
Parliament Plan Backed.
Informed British sources said last
night British Foreign Secretary
Ernest Bevin will give his condi-
tional Endorsement to a French
Belgian proposal for q Western
European parliament.
The Parliament, TO be chosen
from among the Deputies of the fiye
national legislatures, would have
consultative authority. The five
nations in the union are Britain,
France, Belgium, the Netherlands
and Luxembourg.
The meeting, held In the French
Foreign Ministry under the chair
rnanship of French Foreign Minis
ter Robert Schuman. Is expected to
last two or three days.
Mr.. Bevins support for a Western
European Parliament Is expected to
be conditional on a greater amount
of coordination by the various gov
ernmentS to give the Parliament q
more solid foundation.
Defense Report Awaited.
British sources said, however, that
Mr.. Bevin hopes to make some
constructive proposals" on West
'ern European unity when he deliv-
ers his statement.
When the project Of an eventual
international Parliament was
broached by the French last sum-
|mer, Mr.. Bevin avoided any COM
mitments, pleading he had to con-
suit with the British commonwealth
nations. French circles said the
commonwealth dominions had CIV
en- the scheme their blessing at the
recent London meetings.
The Foreign Ministers also win
take up a report from their De-
fense Ministers, who last month
agreed to weld their military high
commands into an integrated gen.
eral staff under Britain's Marshal
Montgomery.
The military coordination also
includes Standardization of arms,
training, procurement and opera
tions. From the European view
point, military unification will serve
as the basis for asking the United
States to supply arms.
Hope to Expand Pact.
1t also would be the starting point
for negotiating a mutual assistance
treaty with the United States which
the Western European union ma
tions hope to obtain from the next
American administration.
British and French sources said
the projected treaty had been dis
cussed in secret talks with Ameri-
can State and Defense Department
officials in Washington.
During the meetings the foreign
ministers will review the reports OF
their finance ministers on steps
taken to promote trade and an
easier flow of currency among the
member states.
Efforts to coordinate their
respective national health programs
and other social benefits also will
be studied.
Under the Brussels pact, embody-
ing political, social, economic, mill
tary and cultural measures, the
ministers meet at least once every
three months to direct the unions
affairs.