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Even before the end of the first world war, during the inter-war years and right up to the outbreak of the second world war, a vein of political thought ran through Europe, which condemned national sovereignties and set up against them the idea of a European federation.In reality, the federalist trend of thought in the inter-war years remained marginal to the main political currents, and partook more of the nature of prophecy than of politics. In the 1920s and 1930s politics in Europe were both tense and varied, culminating in the emergence of many political-ideological tyrannies. But in spite of the violent divergences over political problems in those years, politics itself, of the right and of the left, of moderates and radicals, of conservatives and revolutionaries, was based on the profound experience which the peoples had lived through during the first world war, namely of the solidity of the nation state. This experience led to the conviction that only on this rock could anything be built.

The first part of the ninth ordinary session of the Assembly of the Western European Union (WEU) took place in Paris on June 4–7, 1963.

The first part of the eighth ordinary session of the Assembly of the Western European Union (WEU) took place in Paris from June 4 to 8, 1962. Mr. Arthur Conte (French Socialist) was re-elected President. In addition to the usual reports on defense questions, the Assembly took up the question of the negotiations between the European Common Market and the United Kingdom. On the solution of the Commonwealth problem in the negotiations, the Assembly recommended that special provisions should be worked out to cover a transitional period for imported foodstuffs, especially from the temperate zone. On political union, the Assembly's recommendation proposed that it should take the form of a Community institution, with an executive independent of the member states and responsible to an elected assembly and a ministerial council voting in some cases by qualified majority.

The Council of Ministers of Western European Union (WEU) met on June 16, 1955 in London. The Council gave further consideration to the setting up of the European Commission for the Saar, and the following members were nominated by governments and approved by the Council: M. F. Dehousse (Belgium), P. De Paolis (Italy), M. A. Kunnen (Luxembourg), A. W. C. Bentinck (Netherlands), and George Ren-del (United Kingdom). The first meeting of the European Commission, it was decided, would be held on June 24 in London. The Council also decided that the inaugural meeting of the Assembly of WEU would be held on July 5 in Strasbourg.

The Assembly of Western European Union (WEU) held the first part of its seventh ordinary session in London from May 29 to June 1, 1961. Mr. Arthur Conte (France) was President of the session. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mr. Harold Macmillan, welcomed the delegates and broached the question of his country's relations with Europe in the following terms: 1) the movement toward European unity should be allowed to grow naturally—it could not be imposed; 2) the United Kingdom was determined to press forward with the consolidation of western Europe; and 3) three problems confronting his country vis-à-vis European unity were (a) British agricultural difficulties, (b) the special relationship of the Commonwealth countries with Great Britain, and (c) British association with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

The Assembly of Western European Union (WEU) opened its fifth ordinary session in the House of Europe on June 15, 1959. Mr. Vittorio Badini Confalonieri (Italian Liberal) was elected President, and the following were elected Vice-Presidents: Mr. Joseph Bech (Luxembourg Social Christian), Dame Florence Horsbrugh (British Conservative), Mr. J. J. R. Schmal (Dutch Historical Christian), Mr. Carlo Schmid (German Socialist), Mr. Georges Bohy (Belgium Socialist), and Mr. Robert Abdesselam (Algerian).

The first part of the first session of the Assembly of Western European Union(WEU) was held in Strasbourg from July 5 to 8, 1955. Mr. John Maclay (United Kingdom, National Liberal and Conservative) was elected President of the Assembly by acclamation. Six Vice-Presidents, Mr. Robert Bichet (France, M.R.P.), Mr. Antonio Boggiano Pico (Italy, Christian Democrat), Mr. Georges Bohy (Belgium, Socialist), Mr. J. J. Fens (Netherlands, Popular Catholic), Mr. Gerhard Luetkens (German Federal Republic, Social Democrat), and Mr. Eugene Schaus (Luxembourg, Liberal) were elected, and the Bureau of the WEU Assembly was thus constituted.

The Assembly of Western European Union (WEU) held the second part of its sixth ordinary session in Paris from November 29 to December 2, 1960. The President of the Assembly, Mr. Badini Confalonieri (Italian Liberal), opened the session with a tribute to the late Max Becker, representative of West Germany. He then examined briefly the perils facing Europe due to recent developments throughout the world. He called on the members of WEU to tackle courageously their joint problems, stating that the only way of ensuring the defense and unity of the free world was for the Atlantic Community to operate through representative executive bodies and parliamentary consultation. The President emphasized that the achievements of the European Communities did not imply that other European organizations should be cast aside, but rather that these other organizations should also acquire greater power and authority. The unity of Europe would be achieved only within the framework of a community of nations, Mr. Confalonieri continued, the members of which would submit their individual wishes, in the interest of all, to the decisions of the community's governing bodies. Insofar as positive results toward a true European community had been achieved, the most impressive and exemplary accomplishments had been those of the European Economic Community (EEC), which had brought about nothing less than a revolution in European institutions. In conclusion, the President stressed the importance of the United Kingdom's becoming a co-member, along with the EEC countries, of a genuine community, and he warmly welcomed Mr. Edward Heath, Lord Privy Seal of the United Kingdom, to the Assembly, calling his presence tangible proof of the links that had developed between the WEU Council of Minister and the Assembly.

The first part of the second session of the Assembly of Western European Union (WEU) was held in Strasbourg from April 23 to 25, 1956, under the presidency of Mr. John Maday, President of the Assembly (United Kingdom, National Liberal and Conservative). Mr. Maclay read to the Assembly a letter he had received from Mr. Guy Mollet (Prime Minister of France) in which the latter, regretting that he had been unable to attend the session, pledged that France would support all initiatives tending to strengthen WEU, in particular in the cultural and social spheres. A draft order of business was presented to the Assembly for consideration and was accepted.

On May 6, 1955, the Western European Union (WEU) formally came into existence.1 On May 7, the WEU Council held its inaugural meeting in Paris. The Council considered various questions relating to the structure of WEU and, after approving the Interim Commission's report and adopting the draft agreement on the status of WEU and its staff, appointed Louis Goffin (Belgium) Secretary-General of WEU. Admiral Ferreri (Italy) was appointed director of the Agency for the Control of Armaments. The Council also decided, on the basis of studies carried out by a working group established at the nine-power conference in Paris on October 21, 1954, to create a Standing Armaments Committee composed of national representatives and served by a small secretariat. The Standing Committee had the task of "the development of the closest possible co-operation between member countries of Western European Union in the field of armaments, in order to seek the most practical means of using the resources available to these countries for equipping and supplying their forces and of sharing tasks in the best interest of all". In order to promote liaison with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the seat of the Standing Committee was to be Paris; Charles Cristofini (France) was appointed Assistant Secretary-General in charge of the international secretariat of the Standing Committee. The Council further decided that the first meeting of the WEU Assembly should be held in Strasbourg during die same period as the next session of die Consultative Assembly of die Council of Europe and that the WEU Assembly should be composed of die representatives of the Brussels Treaty powers to the Consultative Assembly.

The Assembly of the Western European Union (WEU) held the second part of its seventh ordinary session in Paris on December 11–15, 1961, under the presidency of Mr. Arthur Conte (French Socialist). In addition to discussing the state of European security, the Assembly debated questions concerning Berlin and the agricultural problems involved in the accession of the United Kingdom to the European Economic Community (EEC). The debate on agriculture was concerned with the implementation of recommendation 53, adopted in November 1960, in which the Assembly had called for negotiations for the accession of the United Kingdom to the EEC as a full member. Mr. Sicco Mansholt, vice-chairman of the EEC Commission, stated that if the United Kingdom entered the EEC, her agriculture would not have to overcome any exceptional difficulties which would justify a longer transition period than that of the six original members. He stated that this conclusion had been reached after a detailed comparison of relative prices and outputs in the United Kingdom and the six members of EEC. The Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution, presented by Mr. Hubert Leynen (Belgian Social Christian), calling upon the seven member governments of WEU to spare no effort to insure the success of the Brussels negotiations.

The Assembly of Western European Union (WEU) held the second part of its fourth session in Paris from December 17 to 20, 1958, under the presidency of Sir James Hutchison (British Conservative). In the course of the session, the Assembly was addressed by the Foreign Ministers of Belgium, the German Federal Republic, and the Netherlands, by the United Kingdom Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, by the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (M. Spaak), and by the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (General Norstad). The Supreme Commander considered that if a demilitarized zone was established in Europe, as suggested in the Rapacki Plan, his task would become impossible; M. Spaak also had little faith in a denuclearized zone, in an era of intercontinental missiles.

The Assembly of Western European Union (WEU) held the second part of its fifth ordinary session in Paris from November 30 to December 3, 1959. The President of the Assembly Mr. Victoria Badini- Confalonieri (Italian Liberal), opened the first sitting with a tribute to the late John Edwards, following with an examination of the history and functions of WEU in the light of proposed changes of the organization's functions. He stated that the European Economic Community (EEC) of the Six and the Union of the Seven were complementary, rather than incompatible, as WEU's Council of Ministers could become a "clearing house" for relations between the Six and the United Kingdom, the only member of WEU that was not a member of EEC. He expressed the hope that at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers the question of the new political role of WEU would be the chief matter considered. Mr. Giuseppe Pella, Italian Foreign Minister, speaking as Chairman-in-Office of the WEU Council, stated that the Council of Ministers attached great importance to coll-laboration with the Assembly; noting that relations between the Council and the Assembly had improved since the creation of the organization, he went onto list areas that the Council had considered or was considering which concerned both organs, namely: 1) measures which would allow the Assembly a more direct share in the adoption of its budget; 2) the area of armament production; 3) the search for permanent offices for WEU; and 4) the question of transferring WEU's exercise of social and cultural activities to the Council of Europe. Regarding the latter, he stated that, in agreeing to the transfer, the Council wished merely to reduce duplication and not to detract from the Union's independence. Finally, he stressed that consultation among the Six should lead to political consultation with the United Kingdom in the WEU context, rather than ruling it out.

The second part of the third ordinary session of the Assembly of Western European Union (WEU) was opened by its president, Sir James Hutchison (United Kingdom, Conservative) on October 10, 1957, and was closed on October 14. The Assembly first discussed a report introduced by Mr. J. J. Fens (the Netherlands, Popular Catholic) on behalf of the Committee on Defense Questions and Armaments on the state of European security and on October 12, adopted a draft recommendation by 44 votes to 2. The proposal provided that the Assembly recommended to the Council to examine the conclusion to be drawn from Soviet progress in general technology and modern weapons, to consider further steps to achieve the fullest possible exchange of information and cooperation in the production and development of guided missiles and countermeasures and to bring these steps to the notice of the Committee on Defense Questions and Armaments, and to establish directives concerning the utilization of strategic nuclear weapons in the possession of member countries. The application of these directives, according to the resolution, were in the event of emergency to be the responsibility of the member states in possession of these weapons.