[Title] Treaty of Friendship Co-operation and Mutual Assestance Between the People's Republic of Albania, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, the Hungarian People's Republic, The German Democratic Republic, the Polish People's Republic, the Romanian People's Republic, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Czechoslovak Republic, Signed at Warsaw, on 14 May 1955

The Contracting Parties,

Reaffirming their desire to create a system of collective security in Europe based on the participation of all European States, irrespective of their social and political structure, whereby the said States may be enabled to combine their efforts in the interests of ensuring peace in Europe;

Taking into consideration, at the same time, the situation that has come about in Europe as a result of the ratification of the Paris Agreements, which provide for the constitution of a new military group in the form of a "West European Union", with the participation of a remilitarized West Germany and its inclusion in the North Atlantic bloc, thereby increasing the danger of a new war and creating a threat to the national security of peace-loving States;

Being convinced that in these circumstances the peace-loving States of Europe must take the necessary steps to safeguard their security and to promote the maintenance of peace in Europe;

Being guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations;

In the interests of the further strengthening and development of friendship, co-operation and mutual assistance in accordance with the principles of respect for the independence and sovereignty of States and of non-intervention in their domestic affairs;

Have resolved to conclude the present Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance and have appointed as their plenipotentiaries :

The Presidium of the National Assembly of the People's Republic of Albania : Mehmet Shehu, President of the Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Albania;

The Presidium of the National Assembly of the People's Republic of Bulgaria : Vylko Chervenkov, President of the Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Bulgaria; The Presidium of the Hungarian People's Republic :

President of the Hungarian People's Republic; Andras Hegedus, President of the Council of Ministers of the Hungarian People's Republic;

The President of the German Democratic Republic :Otto Grotewohl, Prime Minister of the German Democratic Republic;

Council of State of the Polish People's Republic :Jozef Cyrankiewicz, President of the Council of Ministers of the Polish People's Republic;

The Presidium of the Grand National Assembly of the Romanian People's Republic : Gheorghe Gheorghiu Dej, President of the Council of Ministers of the Romanian People's Republic;

The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics : Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bulganin, President of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ;

The President of the Czechoslovak Republic : Viliam Siroky, Prime Minister of the Czechoslovak Republic;

who, having exhibited their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows:

Article 1

The Contracting Parties undertake, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force and to settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security are not endangered.

Article 2

The Contracting Parties declare that they are prepared to participate, in a spirit of sincere co-operation, in all international action for ensuring international peace and security and will devote their full efforts to the realization of these aims.

In this connexion, the Contracting Parties shall endeavour to secure, in agreement with other States desiring to co-operate in this matter, the adoption of effective measures for the general reduction of armaments and the prohibition of atomic, hydrogen and other weapons of mass destruction.

Article 3

The Contracting Parties shall consult together on all important international questions involving their common interests, with a view to strengthening international peace and security. Whenever any one of the Contracting Parties considers that a threat of armed attack on one or more of the States Parties to the Treaty has arisen, they shall consult together immediately with a view to providing for their joint defence and maintaining peace and security.

Article 4

In the event of an armed attack in Europe on one or more of the States Parties to the Treaty by any State or group of States, each State Party to the Treaty shall, in the exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, afford the State or States so attacked immediate assistance, individually and in agreement with the other States Parties to the Treaty, by all the means it considers necessary, including the use of armed force. The States Parties to the Treaty shall consult together immediately concerning the joint measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security. Measures taken under this article shall be reported to the Security Council in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Charter. These measures shall be discontinued as soon as the Security Council takes the necessary action to restore and maintain international peace and security.

Article 5

The Contracting Parties have agreed to establish a Unified Command, to which certain elements of their armed forces shall be allocated by agreement between the Parties, and which shall act in accordance with jointly established principles. The Parties shall likewise take such other concerted action as may be necessary to reinforce their defensive strength, in order to defend the peaceful labour of their peoples, guarantee the inviolability of their frontiers and territories and afford protection against possible aggression.

Article 6

For the purpose of carrying out the consultations provided for in the present Treaty between the States Parties thereto, and for the consideration of matters arising in connexion with the application of the present Treaty, a Political Consultative Committee shall be established, in which each State Party to the Treaty shall be represented by a member of the Government or by some other specially appointed representative. The Committee may establish such auxiliary organs as may prove to be necessary.

Article 7

The Contracting Parties undertake not to participate in any coalitions or alliances, and not to conclude any agreements, the purposes of which are incompatible with the purposes of the present Treaty. The Contracting Parties declare that their obligations under international treaties at present in force are not incompatible with the provisions of the present Treaty.

Article 8

The Contracting Parties declare that they will act in a spirit of friendship and co-operation to promote the further development and strengthening of the economic and cultural ties among them, in accordance with the principles of respect for each other's independence and sovereignty and of non-intervention in each other's domestic affairs.

Article 9

The present Treaty shall be open for accession by other States, irrespective of their social and political structure, which express their readiness, by participating in the present Treaty, to help in combining the efforts of the peace loving States to ensure the peace and security of the peoples. Such accessionsshall come into effect with the consent of the States Parties to the Treaty after the instruments of accession have been deposited with the Government of the Polish People's Republic.

Article 10

The present Treaty shall be subject to ratification, and the instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Government of the Polish People's Republic.

The Treaty shall come into force on the date of deposit of the last instrument of ratification. The Government of the Polish People's Republic shall inform the other States Parties to the Treaty of the deposit of each instrument of ratification.

Article 11

The present Treaty shall remain in force for twenty years. For Contracting Parties which do not, one year before the expiration of that term, give notice of termination of the Treaty to the Government of the Polish People's Republic, the Treaty shall remain in force for a further ten years.

In the event of the establishment of a system of collective security in Europe and the conclusion for that purpose of a General European Treaty concerning collective security, a goal which the Contracting Parties shall steadfastly strive to achieve, the present Treaty shall cease to have effect as from the date on which the General European Treaty comes into force.

DONE at Warsaw, this fourteenth day of May 1955, in one copy, in the Russian, Polish, Czech and German languages, all the texts being equally authentic. Certified copies of the present Treaty shall be transmitted by the Government of the Polish People's Republic to all the other Parties to the Treaty.

IN FAITH WHEREOF the Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Treaty and have thereto affixed their seals.

[L.S.] By authorization of the Presidium of the National Assembly of the People's Republic of Albania :

(Signed) M. SHEHU

[L.S.] By authorization of the Presidium of the National Assembly of the People's Republic of Bulgaria :

(Signed) V. CHERVENKOV

[L.S.] By authorization of the Presidium of the Hungarian People's Republic :

(Signed) A. HEGEDUS

[L.S.] By authorization of the President of the German Democratic Republic :

(Signed) O. GROTEWOHL

[L.S.] By authorization of the Council of State of the Polish People's Republic :

(Signed) J. CYRANKIEWICZ

[L.S.] By authorization of the Presidium of the Grand National Assembly of the Romanian People's Republic :

(Signed) G. GHEORGHlU DEJ

[L.S.] By authorization of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics : (Signed) N. BULGANIN

[L.S.] By authorization of the President of the Czechoslovak Republic

(Signed) V. SIROKY