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/Speaker: Dear listeners, this morning tens of thousands of Berliners
gave a lively welcome to the delegation of the government of the German
Democratic Republic, which took part in the Warsaw Conference of
European countries to guarantee peace and security in Europe, when it
arrived at the Ostbahnhof. You will hear a report on the warm welcome
given to the government delegation by the people of the German
capital.
/Reporter: We are expecting our government delegation
back. On the platform, decorated with flowers and banners, everyone is
full of anticipation, dear listeners. A music choir and an honorary
company of the German People's Police have lined up to greet the
delegation. The following have gathered to welcome the government
delegation: the acting President of the People's Chamber of the German
Democratic Republic, Hermann Matern, the acting Prime Minister of the
German Democratic Republic, Heinrich Rau, Dr. Hilde Benjamin, Minister
of Justice, and other representatives of the government. I also
recognize representatives of the Central Committee of the Socialist
Unity Party of Germany, representatives of the diplomatic corps,
representatives of the parties and mass organizations. And now, my dear
listeners, the time has come: the special train Warsaw-Berlin is
entering the station concourse.
[. . .]
The delegation has
taken its seat in the VIP platform and is warmly welcomed by many
thousands of Berliners. Otto Grotewohl holds a wonderful bouquet of
tulips in his arms and waves warmly to the many, many Berliners who have
come here to the Ostbahnhof with flags and banners.
/[Shouts from
the crowd]: Hurray, hurray!
/Reporter: And now the Prime Minister
of the German Democratic Republic, Otto Grotewohl, will address the
Berliners.
/Grotewohl: Dear friends, dear comrades, the delegation
of the German Democratic Republic to the Warsaw Conference thanks you
very much for the welcome you have given us here in Berlin, the capital
of Germany. When we left, we gave the assurance that the delegation
would safeguard and represent the interests of the German Democratic
Republic and the national interests of the entire German people in the
negotiations about the Warsaw Treaty.
I can tell you today that the
delegation has fulfilled this assurance. We spoke at the conference on
behalf of the national interests of the entire German people and
declared that the delegation of the German Democratic Republic considers
it its duty to make the following declaration at the signing of the
Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance and the creation
of a United Command:
In view of the aim of the Treaty to ensure
peace and security in Europe, the Government of the German Democratic
Republic sees in the Treaty a great support of the German people in
their striving for the peaceful and democratic reunification of Germany.
The German Democratic Republic continues to regard the reunification of
Germany on a peaceful and democratic basis as its and the entire German
people's main task and will do everything in its power to accelerate the
reunification of Germany.
In signing the present Treaty of
Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, the Government of the
German Democratic Republic assumes that the reunified Germany will be
free of the obligations entered into by one part of Germany in
military-political treaties and agreements concluded prior to
reunification.
While Adenauer sold the sovereignty of West Germany
to the imperialist Western powers for 50 years after the conclusion of
the Paris Treaties and placed the decision on the reunification of
Germany in the hands of foreign interveners, the Warsaw Treaty,
including our declaration, represents a further step on the road to the
peaceful reunification of Germany. It strengthens and encourages the
patriotic forces in West Germany to successfully continue their struggle
for a peaceful and democratic solution to the German question. In
contrast to the Paris Treaties, which make the path to peaceful and
democratic reunification more difficult for West Germany, the Warsaw
Treaty gives the German Democratic Republic full freedom to negotiate
the peaceful reunification of Germany without hindrance and to take all
other necessary measures.
/[Applause]
[. . .]