Final Communiqué

The NATO Nuclear Planning Group (NPG) held its regular Autumn Ministerial meeting in Stresa, Italy, on 11 and 12 October 1984. All NPG members attended, with Spain as an observer.

Ministers received a comprehensive briefing on the status of nuclear forces by the United States Secretary of Defense. They indicated their support for the determination of the United States and the United Kingdom to maintain the deterrent capabilities of their strategic forces. They also discussed a wide range of nuclear policy matters, including the trends in the balance of nuclear forces of NATO and the Warsaw Pact, the maintenance of the security and survivability of NATO's nuclear weapons, and the prospects for the resumption of arms reduction negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union on nuclear forces. Ministers welcomed the useful and extensive discussion which took place recently between President Reagan and Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko at which the President conveyed his strong desire for a more productive dialogue with the Soviet Union and for moving relations forward.

Ministers expressed their concern that the Soviet nuclear build-up continues unabated at all levels. In the strategic field, the Soviet Union is pressing ahead with the development and testing of a wide range of new systems, including two Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), a new submarine-launched ballistic missile, a new bomber and a new generation of ground-, air-, and sea-launched cruise missiles which are expected to enter operational service in the near future. Also, new SS-20 bases, east and west of the Ural Mountains, are under construction which, when operational, will significantly increase the number of deployed SS-20 launchers. The Soviet Union also continues to replace older shorter-range missiles by a new generation of more accurate systems. Modern SS-21 and SS-22 missiles are being deployed in the German Democratic Republic and Czechoslovakia. In addition, the Soviet Union has developed and tested the SS-23 missile. The emphasis given by the Soviet Union to nuclear capability can also be seen in the expansion of their nuclear artillery potential in Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union has attempted to characterise some of these measures as responses to cruise and Pershing 11 missile deployments by NATO; they are in fact the fruit of programmes instituted well before NATO's deployments started and indeed before the December 1979 dual-track decision was taken.

By contrast and bearing in mind NATO's policy to maintain only the minimum number of nuclear weapons necessary for deterrence, Ministers recalled their 1983 Montebello Decision which encompassed a substantial reduction in the stockpile of NATO's nuclear warheads in Europe to be carried out over a five to six year period. This process has already started and will continue in accordance with the Montebello Decision: as a result the NATO stockpile will reach its lowest level in 20 years. In the context of these reductions, Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to maintain an effective deterrent and recalled their agreement at Montebello that the delivery systems and warheads for the remaining minimum level stockpile must be survivable, responsive and effective. Plans for the detailed implementation of this decision are currently being developed by the responsible Military Authorities.

Ministers reaffirmed their conviction that, in the face of the growing nuclear and conventional threat from the Warsaw Pact, the Alliance must retain a fully credible nuclear and conventional posture, in support of its strategy. They stressed that while each element of the triad requires a credibility of its own, they are only fully effective when seen as a whole, and indeed work to complement each other. Nuclear weapons are vital for the deterrence of aggression at all levels and by their very existence, work to enhance deterrence across the entire spectrum. As one example, they increase the effectiveness of the Alliance's conventional defence by complicating any plans an aggressor might have for massing forces for an attack.

In the absence of a concrete negotiated result obviating the need for such deployment, Ministers emphasised NATO's determination to continue the deployment of Longer-Range INF (LRINF) missiles as scheduled. They reviewed the progress of the deployment in the countries concerned. This LRINF deployment will be accommodated within the lower stockpile level agreed at Montebello since one warhead is being removed for each Pershing 11 or Ground-Launched Cruise Missile warhead deployed. Ministers repeated their willingness to reverse, halt or modify the LRINF deployments - including the removal and dismantling of missiles already deployed - upon achievement of a balanced, equitable and verifiable agreement calling for such action.

Ministers reaffirmed their strong desire that negotiations on the reduction of nuclear arms which, as repeatedly deplored by the Allies, were unilaterally broken off by the Soviet Union, should resume as soon as possible. They reiterated their call to the Soviet Union to return to the negotiating table. In contrast to these Soviet positions, the United States, with the full support of the Allies, has been and remains ready to negotiate any time and without preconditions on these subjects as well as on matters affecting outer space.

Ministers confirmed their strong support for the United States' negotiating position in the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START). With respect to intermediate-range nuclear forces, they reiterated their full backing for the United States' proposals, developed on the basis of close Allied consultations. Ministers strongly endorsed the United States approach to these arms reduction negotiations. They emphasised that the United States' proposals in both the START and INF negotiations offer the opportunity for equitable and verifiable agreements substantially reducing the levels of nuclear arms in a way that respects the legitimate security interests of both sides.

Ministers accepted with pleasure an invitation from Mr. M. Fischback, Minister of Defence of Luxembourg, to hold their next meeting in Luxembourg.

Greece expressed its views in a statement included in the minutes; Denmark reserved its position on the INF part.