Ambassador of France Marc Baréty and Ambassador of Germany Bernhard Schlagheck gave a joint lecture at the National University of Science and Technology on German-French friendship as the ground for effective multilateralism.

The activity commemorated the 57th anniversary of the Treaty of Elysée, which lay the foundations of German-French reconciliation and friendship, and the first anniversary of the Treaty of Aachen.

The Élysée Treaty of 1963 played a crucial role in the historic reconciliation between France and Germany after World War II.

On Jan 22 1963, French president General de Gaulle and German chancellor Konrad Adenauer signed the Elysée Treaty on cooperation between the two countries that marked the beginning of an era of friendship and cooperation between Germany and France after more than a century of hostilities and wars.

Both ambassadors stressed that after centuries of hostility and wars between the two countries, strong political will and people-to-people contact paved the way to overcome ‘hereditary enmity’ and establish Franco-German friendship.

This successful reconciliation process might be a source of inspiration for other regions as well.

The Treaty of Aachen deepens the cooperation between the two countries. The lecture was attended by students and faculty members of the university’s department for public policy and governance.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2020