France's President Georges Pompidou and West Germany's Chancellor Willy Brandt have been meeting in Paris to discuss relations between their two countries and European issues in general.

Their two-day summit meeting, which began on Monday (22 January) marked the tenth anniversary of the Paris-Bonn friendship treaty.

This historic treaty was signed in 1963 by General de Gaulle and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer with the aim of "ending forever" hostility between Frenchmen and Germans after more than a century of confrontations.

In a speech of welcome at the Elysee Palace, President Pompidou told Chancellor Brandt that he was convinced that the entente between France and Germany was more important than ever. He urged that the meeting mark a new step in co-operation and contribution to European union.

In reply, Herr Brandt said French-West German reconciliation met not only the demands of history and wisdom, but also a European need.

The Chancellor said the treaty had at times caused suspicion in Western Europe that the two countries were hiding behind a privileged relationship, but such fears had proved wrong and the Common Market had instead been inspired by the link.

Both speakers spoke of Franco-West German co-operation as a solid base for the Common Market.

SYNOPSIS: At the Elysee Palace, in Paris, President Pompidou and West Germany's Chancellor Willy Brandt begin a two-day summit meeting marking the tenth anniversary of the Paris-Bonn friendship treaty, signed by General de Gaulle and Chancellor Conrad Adenauer. President Pompidou welcomed Herr Brant....
President Pompidou said that Herr Brand't visit to Paris had historic significance, coming as it did on the tenth anniversary of the friendship treaty. The treaty itself, sighed in 1963, was aimed at ending forever hostility between Frenchmen and Germans after more than a century of confrontations.

He said the treaty had led to the development of bi-lateral relations between the nations that had turned their co-operation into a sound grounding for the Community of the Six. Chancellor Brandt spoke in reply to the welcome....
Herr Brandt said French-West German reconciliation met not only the demands of history and wisdom, but also a European need. The Chancellor said the treaty had at times caused suspicion in Western Europe that the two countries were hiding behind a privileged relationship. But such fears had proved wrong and the Common Market had instead been inspired by the link.

Major interest at the talks centred on the two leaders' assessments of the Franco-German friendship treaty after ten years of up-and-down relations.