Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-14
Red Rival to NATO
Set Up Under Konev
Russia Signs
Warsaw Pact
With 7AIIies

w = =
The Soviet Union and seven
East European allies established
a unified military command to-
day to rival the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization and made
Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev the
supreme commander.
The eight allies signed a 20
year mutual security and friend
ship treaty and a protocol plac-
ing their military forces under q
single command.
A summarized text of the
agreement-outcome of a three
day conference here-was read
to reporters by Soviet spokesman
after the signing ceremony. They
announced Marshal Konev's
headquarters will be in Moscow.
He is deputy Soviet defense
minister.
Deputies From Each Nation
Deputy commanders will be
the defense ministers or other
military leaders of the partici-
pating nations - the Soviet
Union, Czechoslovakia. Poland.
Hungary, Albania. Romania,
Bulgaria and East Germany.
(West European diplomats
believe the actual signing of
the pact in Warsaw does not
change the existing situation
the Soviets have been in
overall command of the mill
tary among their satellites for
some time. But the pact gives
the Russians a legal frame
work under which Soviet troops
can remain in the satellite
nations through individual
treaties between the U. S. S. r.
and each satellite country.
Politically the Eastern Com
munist nations have been
linked through the Cominform
the association dominated by
the Soviet Union)
Each of the deputies will COM
mand forces to be allotted by
his nation to the unified COM
mand.
Western Alliance Cited
A preamble to the treaty de-
clared the eight nations decided
to intensity their measures for
defense in face of West Ger
many's admission to the West
ern alliance.
The treaty takes effect when
the last participating nation has
ratified it.
The first of the II articles
declares that the participating
nations undertake. in conform
ity with the United Nations
charter. to refrain from the use
of force in international rela-
tons and to do their utmost to
solve international questions by
peaceful means.
Another article declares that
in case of an armed attack on
any one or more of the partic-
ipating states the other sigma
tories will provide immediate
help, including armed forces.
At the same time the signatories
will consult on measures to
restore peace, communicate
their actions to the U. N. Secuity
Council. and cease their actions
once the Security Council itself
steps in.
Political Assembly
| The states agreed to set up a
political consultative council of
which signatories will be repre-
sented by members of their gov
eminent or plenipotentiaries.
The parties undertake not to
join any alliance in contradic-
ton to this treaty.
| The pact contains provisions
for economic and cultural rela-
tons. The ninth article states
that the treaty is open to all
other counties. irrespective Of
their social and political systems.
(This paraphrase of the
treaty's contents emphasizes
the Communist intent to make
their military alliance coun-
ter to NATO. The treaty pro-
visions are almost exactly the
same as those contained in the
North Atlantic Treaty as
signed April 4, 1949)
The treaty runs for 20 years
and will remain in force for 10
years longer unless any particle
pant renounces it. The treaty
will automatically be dissolved
if any all-Europe collective Sc
curity system is devised.
| Immediately after the signing,
East Germany's Prime Minister
Otto Grotewohl declared his gov
eminent still stands for uniting
Germany under peaceful condi-
| tons.
nANV HDNHKETT