France, Germany Celebrate 40 Year Alliance

Following the start of a series of gala events and the unveiling of a major joint declaration, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and French President Jacques Chirac sat down to lunch on Wednesday, sipping white wine from Germany and red from France.

The spirit of French-German ties was felt in both countries on Jan. 22, as a series of gala celebrations and a row of special joint events kicked off in Versailles, France, to mark the anniversary of the Elysée Treaty, which reconciled the two former enemies and saw the start of a new era of post-war reconciliation 40 years ago.

Joint political declaration

The celebrations began with the unveiling of a major joint political initiative, announcing a "new stage" in the cooperation between the two countries. In the declaration, which was revealed following a joint French-German cabinet session, the two countries pledged further bilateral military cooperation, the development of common policies in the European Union, and the promotion of "respect for linguistic pluralism in the Union's institutions," including measures to favor French and German.

In addition, the two countries announced the further harmonization of laws and plans to hold regular joint cabinet meetings on issues of common interest.

Speaking on Wednesday, Schröder emphasized the importance of Franco-German cooperation, which is he described as being based on "common values and common goals." Referring indirectly to the issue of a possible U.S.-led military attack on Iraq, he said the close cooperation between the two countries, in particular on an international level, was more important than ever "in these difficult times."

He said previous talks, held at a joint cabinet session earlier on Wednesday, had shown that both countries had similar ideas on the future of Europe, and that the strength of Franco-German relations "would be a boost to EU expansion."

First joint parliamentary session

Wednesday's celebrations reached their zenith with a historic joint parliamentary session at Versailles. More than 1,000 members of parliament -- including 577 from France and 603 from Germany -- took part in a row of top-level meetings and exuberant banquets held at the highly symbolic venue.

It was here that the Germans, after winning the Franco-Prussian war, humiliated the French by crowing Wilhelm I as kaiser of their united countries in the legendary Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. And it was in the same room that France lined up with its World War I allies, forcing the defeated Germans to sign the punitive Treaty of Versailles.

It was also at this historically charged venue that Chirac on Wednesday pledged to "take the next step down the historic path laid by Chancellor (Konrad) Adenauer and Gen. Charles de Gaulle."

Speaking at the joint press conference, Schröder described Versailles as the right place to celebrate the historic event and to follow on with what was laid out in the treaty 40 years ago.

"It is exactly the right place and the right time to fill this treaty with new life and the European perspective, which is now needed." It was time the current driving force behind the Franco-German alliance turned into reality, he added.