5
Dec. 45
view
to amicable settlement, to a permanent
international commission, styled the
Permanent Conciliation Commission,
constituted in accordance with the
present treaty."
My
Lord, thereafter the treaty goes on to lay down
the procedure for arbitration and for
conciliation.
THE PRESIDENT: It is in
the same terms, is it not, as the arbitration
treaty between Germany and Czechoslovakia, and
Germany and Belgium?
LT. COL.
GRIFFITH-JONES: Well yes, it is, My Lord,
both signed at Locarno.
THE PRESIDENT:
Yes.
LT. COL. GRIFFITH-JONES: The
words of the charge in Section 10, will be noted
particularly in that Germany did, on or about
the 1st of September 1939, unlawfully attack and
invade Poland without first having attempted to
settle its dispute with Poland by peaceful
means.
The only other treaty to which
I refer, the German-Polish Declaration of the
26th of January 1934, will be found as the last
document in Part I of the Tribunal's document
book, which is the subject of Section 10 of
Appendix C:
"The
German Government and the Polish
Government consider that the time has
come to introduce a new era in the
political relations between Germany and
Poland by a direct understanding between
the states. They have therefore decided
to establish by the present declaration
a basis for the future shaping of those
relations.
"The two
Governments assume that the maintenance
and assurance of a permanent peace
between their countries is an essential
condition for general peace in Europe."
THE
PRESIDENT: Do you think it is necessary to read
all this? We are taking judicial notice of it.
LT. COL. GRIFFITH-JONES: I am very
much obliged; I am only too anxious to shorten
this, if I can.
In view of what is
later alleged by the Nazi Government, I would
particularly draw attention to the last
paragraph in that declaration.
"The
declaration shall remain in effect for a
period of 10 years counting from the day
of exchange of instruments of
ratification. In case it is not
denounced by one of the two governments
6 months before the expiration of that
period of time, it shall continue in
effect but can then be denounced by
either Government at any time 6 months
in advance."