Page:British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 155 (1958).djvu/564

548 constitutions for the Länder we provided that nothing contained in those constitutions could be interpreted as restricting the provisions of the Federal Constitution. Conflict between Länder constitutions and the provisional Federal constitution must therefore, be resolved in favour of the latter.

9. We should also like it to be clearly understood that, upon the convening of the legislative bodies provided for in the Basic Law, and upon the election of the President and the election and appointment of the Chancellor and the Federal Ministers, respectively, in the manner provided for in the Basic Law, the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany will then be established and the Occupation Statute shall thereupon enter into force.

10. On the completion of their final task as laid down in Article 145(1) the Parliamentary Council will be dissolved. We wish to take this occasion to compliment the members of the Parliamentary Council on their successful completion of a difficult task performed under trying circumstances, on the manifest care and thoroughness with which they have done their work and on their devotion to the democratic ideals towards the achievement of which we are striving.

B. H. ROBERTSON, General, Military Governor, British Zone.

PIERRE KOENIG, Général d'Armée, Military Governor, French Zone.

LUCIUS D. CLAY, General U.S. Army, Military Governor, U.S. Zone.

ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AGREEMENT between the Federal Republic of Germany and the United States of America, with Annex.-Bonn, 15th December, 1949

The Government of the United States of America and the

Government of the Federal Republic of Germany:

Recognising that the restoration or maintenance in European countries of principles of individual liberty, free institutions, and genuine independence rests largely upon the establishment of sound economic conditions, stable international economic relationships, and the achievement by the countries of Europe of a healthy economy independent of extraordinary outside assistance,