The Joint Declaration of Twenty-two States signed in Paris on November 19 1990 by the Chiefs
of State or Government of all the countries which participated in World War Two in Europe is
the closest document we will ever have to a true peace treaty concluding World War II in
Europe. In his new book retired United States Ambassador John Maresca who led the American
participation in the negotiations explains how this document was quietly negotiated following
the reunification of Germany and in view of Soviet interest in normalizing their relations with
Europe. With the reunification of Germany which had just taken place it was for the first time
since the end of the war possible to have a formal agreement that the war was over and the
countries concerned were all gathering for a summit-level signing ceremony in Paris. With
Gorbachev interested in more positive relations with Europe and with the formal reunification
of Germany such an agreement was - for the first time - possible. All the leaders coming to
the Paris summit had an interest in a formal conclusion to the War and this gave impetus for
the negotiators in Vienna to draft a document intended to normalize relations among them. The
Joint Declaration was negotiated carefully and privately among the Ambassadors representing
the countries which had participated in one way or another in World War Two in Europe and
the resulting document -- the Joint Declaration - was signed at the summit level at the
Elysée Palace in Paris. But it was overshadowed at the time by the Treaty on Conventional
Forces in Europe - signed at the same signature event - and has remained un-noticed since
then.No one could possibly have foreseen that the USSR would be dissolved about one year later
making it impossible to negotiate a more formal treaty to close World War II in Europe. The
Joint Declaration thus remains the closest document the world will ever see to a formal Peace
Treaty concluding World War Two in Europe. It was signed by all the Chiefs of State or
Government of all the countries which participated in World War II in Europe.
