Office of the Historian

507. Editorial Note

The 25th and final plenary session of the Foreign Ministers Conference was held from 2:30 to 6:55 p.m. on August 5, in the Council Chamber of the Palais des Nations with Foreign Secretary Lloyd presiding. Each of the Foreign Ministers, including both German advisers, made a concluding statement which was followed by the release of the conference communiqué. For texts of the final statements, circulated as RM/DOC/69–72, A/20 and 21, see Foreign Ministers Meeting, pages 486–511, 560–563, and 598–603 or Cmd. 868, pages 309–329 and 349–357. Herter’s statement is also printed in Documents on Germany, 1944–1985, pages 676–683, or Department of State Bulletin, August 24, 1959, pages 265–269. The U.S. Delegation transmitted a summary of the final session in Secto 478 from Geneva, August 5. (Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–GE/8–559) The U.S. Delegation verbatim record of the session, US/VR/25 (Corrected), is ibid., Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1406. The final communiqué reads as follows:

“The Conference of Foreign Ministers met in Geneva from May 11 to June 20 and from 13 July to 5 August, 1959.

“The Conference considered questions relating to Germany, including a peace treaty with Germany and the question of Berlin.

“The positions of the participants in the conference were set out on these questions.

“A frank and comprehensive discussion took place on the Berlin question.

“The positions of both sides on certain points became closer.

“The discussions which have taken place will be useful for the further negotiations which are necessary in order to reach an agreement.

“Furthermore the conference provided the opportunity for useful exchanges of views on other questions of mutual interest.

“The Foreign Ministers have agreed to report the results of the conference to their respective Governments.

“The date and place for the resumption of the work of the conference will be settled through diplomatic channels.” (Documents on Germany, 1944–1985, page 683, or Department of State Bulletin, August 24, 1959, page 269)”