The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, together with representatives of the German Federal Republic and the Saar met at Rome on November 4, 1950 under the chairmanship of Count Sforza (Italy). Prior to the meeting the ministers had agreed that Germany and the Saar should be represented at all meetings of the committee and not only at certain specified times. Two decisions were taken by the ministers: not to discuss the Assembly recommendation for the formation of a European army under a European defense minister; and to approve the convention on human rights. The committee felt that the Atlantic army proposed by Secretary of State Dean G. Acheson (United States) and the release of the Pleven Plan by France had overshadowed the Assembly recommendation. The matter was being discussed by the North Atlantic Pact Organization and the ministers believed that it was better to leave the question to be handled by the governments rather than risk a clash of views in the Council of Europe. Furthermore, the ministers agreed to establish a refugee office within the Secretariat and to encourage the drafting of a European Code of Social Security. The ministers were also sympathetic to the need for revision of the Statute to allow for ”specialized authorities” within the framework of the Council of Europe.