West Europe Leaders Back Reunification of Germany

Leaders of the European Community declared here Saturday that they approve of German reunification through “free self-determination.”

In a statement issued after a two-day conference, the heads of the 12 EC governments said the world is witnessing “historic events” in Europe that are “no doubt the most important since the Second World War.”

The statement added: “We seek the strengthening of the state of peace in Europe, in which the German people will regain its unity through free self-determination.”

And French President Francois Mitterrand, who is also EC chairman for the current six months, declared later: “I am not afraid of German reunification.

“I consider it legitimate,” he said, though he added that there are many international obligations that the Germans would have to consider in moving toward unity.

The declaration was viewed here as a resounding victory for West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who told a news briefing that he was more than satisfied with the outcome of the twice-yearly EC summit conference.

In return, Kohl bowed to Mitterrand’s insistence that a meeting be convened a year from now that would begin planning a common European currency and monetary system.

In Saturday’s final summit session, emphasis shifted from debate on a common monetary system--which will be discussed for years to come--to the issue of improving ties with the nations of Eastern Europe, which are undergoing what amounts to a bloodless revolution.

The EC’s statement said: “Each day in Central and Eastern Europe, change is asserting itself more strongly. The people are clearly showing their will to take their own destiny in hand and to choose the path of their development.”

The EC pledged various kinds of financial assistance to East European nations, including a development bank, a stabilization fund for Poland, an adjustment loan for Hungary, a foundation to create professional training for East European managers and observer status for the Soviet Union in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

To show that the West European nations are on the side of stable evolution in Eastern Europe’s shift toward democracy, summit leaders emphasized that changes “should take place peacefully and democratically.”

“The changes and transitions which are necessary must not take place to the detriment of the stability of Europe, but rather must contribute to strengthening it,” their statement said.

The Western leaders emphasized that they are not trying to take advantage of the political turmoil in Eastern Europe, declaring they want to develop closer relations with the Soviet Union and other countries in the East “insofar as they are committed to democratic change.”

“The community has decided to support the economic reforms undertaken in these countries by contributing--in collaboration with its Western partners--to the establishment of healthy and prosperous economies,” the final communication declared.

The EC heads of government complimented Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev by saying, “Such a profound and rapid development (in Eastern Europe) could not have been possible without the policy of openness and reform led by Mr. Gorbachev.”

The leaders also said the EC will remain the “cornerstone” for a “new European architecture” that will forge closer ties with nations of the European Free Trade Assn.--Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland--and eventually with the nations in Eastern Europe.

Their final statement stressed that the best way of keeping the United States and Canada linked to Europe is through the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, a 35-nation group now meeting in Vienna.

“The building of European (Community) union will permit the further development of a range of effective and harmonious relations with the other countries of Europe,” the leaders said.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher appeared to be left behind. She opposed the summit’s Saturday statement about setting up a conference to forge a joint European monetary system, and she refused to go along with a so-called Social Charter for workers that was also agreed to Saturday.

While some diplomats agreed with her view that the monetary conference would run into many problems when it came to working out details, most said that her position and views are becoming increasingly irrelevant at the summit meetings.

“She opposes everything,” one diplomat said, “but says she will stay in--and go along with the decisions. Nobody takes her seriously any more.”