Matignon Accord
Following the joint declaration of the President of theCouncil of the French Republic and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland dated 22 February 1957 on the organization and principles of cooperation between the two states, the following were approved:
I. - ORGANIZATION
1. The Heads of State and Government will give the necessary directions and need follow regularly the implementation of the program set out below. They meet for this purpose whenever necessary and will, in principle, at least twice a year.
2. The Foreign Ministers will ensure execution of the program as a whole. They will meet at least every three months. Without prejudice to the contacts normally established through embassies, officials of both Ministries of Foreign Affairs, dealing respectively with political, economic and cultural, will meet each month alternately in Paris and London to take stock of outstanding problems and prepare the meeting of Ministers. Moreover, diplomatic missions and consulates of both countries and their permanent representations to international organizations will take all necessary contacts on issues of common interest.
3. Regular meetings will take place between authorities of both countries in the fields of defense, education and youth. They will not affect the functioning of existing organizations whose activities will be developed instead. The Foreign Ministers will be represented at these meetings to ensure overall coordination of cooperation;
a) Ministers of the Army or Defense will meet at least once every three months. Similarly, the French Minister of Education meet, at the same rate, Minister of Education of United Kingdom;
b) the Chiefs of Staff of both countries will meet at least once every two months, if not possible, they will be replaced by their representatives accountable;
c) the Chiefs of Staffs of individual military services ( Navy, Army and Air Force ) will meet at least once every three months, if not possible, they will be replaced by their representatives accountable;
4. In each country, an interministerial committee will be responsible for monitoring the problems of cooperation. It will be chaired by a senior official of Foreign Affairs and will include representatives of all departments concerned. Its role will be to coordinate the ministries concerned and to report periodically to the Government on the state of French-British cooperation. It will also be responsible to present any useful suggestions for the implementation of the cooperation program and its extension to new areas.
II. PROGRAM
A. - Foreign Affairs
1. The two Governments will consult before any decision on all important matters of foreign policy, and primarily on issues of common interest to achieve as much as possible, in a similar position. This consultation will include the following topics: Issues with the European Communities and European Political Cooperation, East-West relations, both politically and economically; Cases handled within NATO and various international organizations in which the two governments concerned, including the Council of Europe, the Western European Union, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the UN and its institutions specialized.
2. Collaboration already established in the field of information will be continued and developed between the services concerned in Paris and London and between missions in third countries.
3. With regard to assistance to developing countries, both Governments will systematically compare their programs to maintain close coordination. They will study the possibility of undertaking joint projects. Several departments are responsible for these matters, the French side as the German side, it is up to two foreign ministries jointly determine the practical bases of this collaboration.
4. The two Governments will study jointly how to strengthen their cooperation in other important areas of economic policy, such as agricultural and forestry policy, energy policy, problems of communication and transportation and industrial development, as part Common Market, and the policy of export credits.
5. Government of France will support membership of United Kingdom in European Economical Community and in other European Cooperation Organisations.
B. - Defence
I. - The objectives in this area are:
1. In terms of strategy and tactics, the competent authorities of both countries will endeavor to harmonize their doctrines with a view to reaching common understandings. French-British institutes of operational research will be created.
2. Staff exchanges between the Armed forces will be multiplied and will concern in particular teachers and students of staff colleges and they will include the temporary detachment of entire units. To facilitate these exchanges, an effort will be made on both sides for teaching practical language to the students.
3. Armaments, both Governments will endeavor to organize a joint work from the stage of project development of appropriate weapons and preparation of financing plans. To this end, joint committees will examine current research on these projects in both countries and conduct comparative examination of them. They will present proposals to the ministers will discuss during their quarterly meetings and provide the necessary implementing guidelines.
4. Both Governments will support cooperation of defence industry companies of both countries in fulfilling defence needs of both countries.
II. - Governments will study the conditions under which a French-British collaboration can be established in the field of civil defense.
C. - Education and Youth
1. In the field of education, efforts will focus on the following:
a) Teaching Languages:
The two Governments recognize the key importance for the French-British cooperation knowledge in each country of the other's language. They will endeavor to this end, to take concrete steps to increase the number of British students learning French and that French students learning English. In all higher education institutions, should be organized practical teaching of the French language in Britain and the English language in France, which will be open to all students.
b) Problem of equivalence:
The competent authorities of both countries will be invited to accelerate the adoption of provisions concerning the equivalence of periods of study, examinations, degrees and diplomas.
c) Cooperation in scientific research:
Research organizations and scientific institutes develop their contacts starting with a mutual information further, collaborative research programs will be established in disciplines where this is feasible.
2. All opportunities will be offered to young people of both countries to strengthen the bonds that unite and strengthen their mutual understanding. Collective exchanges are particularly increased. A body to develop these opportunities and to promote exchanges will be created by the two countries with, on his head, an independent board of directors. This organization will have a joint French-British funds be used for exchanges between the two countries of pupils, students, young craftsmen and young workers.
III. - FINAL
1. Necessary directions be issued in each country for the immediate implementation of the foregoing. The Foreign Ministers will take stock of the experience acquired in each of their meetings.
2. The two Governments may make such adjustments as may be desirable for the implementation of this Treaty.
5. This Treaty shall enter into force when each Government has informed the other that, internally, the conditions necessary for its implementation have been met.
Done at Paris, February 22, 1957, in duplicate, in French and English, both texts being equally authentic.
French Prime Minister
Guy Mollet
The French Minister of Foreign Affairs
Christian Pineau
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Anthony Eden
Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom
Selwyn Lloyd
