Germany Ratifies Maastricht Treaty

Germany ratified the treaty on European political and economic union Friday, becoming the 10th of the 12 European Community nations to sign on.

Still undecided on the issue are Denmark, whose voters have already refused once to ratify the so-called Maastricht Treaty, and Britain, where opposition is strong.

All 12 EC nations, which signed the treaty in the Dutch town of Maastricht last year, must ratify the accord before it takes effect.

The Bundesrat, the German Parliament’s upper house, unanimously approved the treaty Friday after just two hours of debate. The Bundestag, the lower house, approved the treaty on Dec. 2.

Since the unification of East and West Germany, leaders have sought to allay concerns of another German superpower by tying the nation tightly to European unity. The Maastricht Treaty would bind EC countries politically, economically and financially.

Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel told the Bundesrat before Friday’s vote that Europe’s rising right wing was among the many reasons for ratifying the Maastricht Treaty.

“Counteracting right-wing extremism is the common task of all democrats, all citizens, all good Europeans,” Kinkel said.