Tuesday, 13. February 1990

During an official visit to Bonn by an East German government delegation led by Prime Minister Hans Modrow, agreement is reached on the formation of a joint commission of experts to lay the groundwork for monetary union. However, the East German request for a West German solidarity contribution to boost the East German economy is rejected.

Hans Modrow points out that East Germany not only can contribute important intellectual and cultural values to a united Germany; it also has solid material value. The net national wealth of East Germany is 1.4 trillion marks, including national property of 980 billion marks and 6.2 million hectares of unencumbered agricultural land.

The foreign ministers of the four victorious World War II powers hold talks in Ottawa, during international disarmament negotiations, on ways of clarifying the external modalities of German unification with the two German states. »Two-Plus-Four Talks« are proposed with this purpose in mind.

A Media Supervisory Council is formed in East Berlin to guarantee freedom of opinion, information and the media. The institution was approved by the People's Chamber in early February, at the initiative of the Round Table. Members of the Council include delegates from the parties and organizations represented at the Round Table and from parliamentary parties.