Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

(1901–82), President of the Commission of the European Economic Community (1958–67). During the early history of the federal republic of germany , he had a major influence on the development of its external policies. In 1950 he led its negotiations on the Schuman Plan (see schuman ), and in 1951 became West Germany's foreign minister. He used this position to generate the “Hallstein doctrine,” which prevailed from 1955 to 1973. Under it the FRG refused to conduct diplomatic relations with any state (other than the Soviet Union) that recognized the german democratic republic . Meanwhile Hallstein was also securing West Germany's deeper involvement in promoting (e.g. at the messina conference of 1955) the project of european integration . After the six concluded their rome treaties , they appointed him to be first president of the EEC. Here his insistence on the logic of progression towards greater political unity produced conflict with de gaulle in particular, as was evident from the deep disagreements that the luxemburg compromise of 1966 served to mask rather than solve. ... log in or subscribe to read full text