Final Communiqué
Chairman: Lord Carrington
- English
- French
Status of nuclear forces - Arms control negotiations in Geneva - Commitment made at Geneva Summit to agree on need for effective verification measures - Soviet violations of arms control agreements - Allied concern over continuing Soviet efforts to upgra
- The NATO Nuclear Planning Group (NPG) met in Ministerial Session in Würzburg, Federal Republic of Germany, on 20th and 2lst March, 1986.
- We discussed a wide range of security matters, including briefings by the United States on the status of nuclear forces and related issues. We received with appreciation a briefing on the nuclear forces of the United Kingdom and welcomed the contribution these forces make to the overall credibility of the Alliance's deterrent capabilities. We expressed our continued support for the efforts of the United States and the United Kingdom to maintain the effectiveness of their nuclear deterrent forces.
- We expressed our satisfaction with the close consultation on the negotiations in Geneva. We welcomed the commitment by the United States and the Soviet Union to seek early progress at the nuclear and space talks, in particular where there is common ground, including the principle of 50 per cent reduction in the strategic nuclear arms of the United States and the Soviet Union appropriately applied, and the idea of a separate INF agreement. At the same time, we strongly endorsed the commitment made at the Geneva Summit to agree on the need for measures for effective verification as part of any arms control agreements. We expressed strong support for the United States stance concerning intermediate-range, strategic, and defence and space systems. We also reviewed the negotiations on INF systems and confirmed our full support for the United States proposal. This proposal, developed in close consultation with the Allies, calls for the global elimination of United States and Soviet Longer-Range INF (LRINF) missiles, accompanied by other appropriate provisions concerning rights and constraints on Shorter-Range INF (SRINF) missiles.
- The United States Secretary of Defense gave an updated account of evidence of continuing Soviet violations of arms control agreements, including that relating to the new violations disclosed in the United States President's December 1985 Report to Congress, in particular the deployment of the mobile SS-25 intercontinental ballistic missile. We expressed our continuing concern and renewed our call on the Soviet leadership to take the steps necessary to ensure full compliance with its commitments. We noted in this connection that a double standard of compliance with arms control agreements would be unacceptable and would undermine the security of the Alliance. In this context, we reaffirmed the essential requirement for full compliance with all arms control agreements.
- We reviewed Alliance policy and planning related to NATO's nuclear forces and reconfirmed our commitment to maintain a credible deterrent posture in view of the continued qualitative and quantitative advances in Soviet forces which far exceed their defence requirements. We remain deeply concerned about continuing Soviet efforts to upgrade and expand their nuclear capabilities across the board, including the deployment of SS-23 shorter-range INF missiles, flight- testing of an improved version of the SS-20, and the continued development of long-range cruise missile systems.
- In contrast, it is NATO's policy to maintain only the minimum number of nuclear weapons necessary for deterrence. In addition to the 1,000 nuclear weapons withdrawn from NATO following the 1979 dual-track decision, NATO decided at Montebello in 1983 to reduce further its nuclear stockpile in Europe by 1,400 warheads while taking appropriate measures to improve the responsiveness, effectiveness, and survivability of the remaining warheads and their delivery systems. Furthermore, we recalled that, for each LRINF missile deployed, one warhead is being removed from Europe. Altogether, these measures will bring the number of nuclear warheads in the Allied stockpile in Europe to the lowest point in twenty years. At this meeting, SACEUR reported on the status of the implementation of the Montebello Decision . We noted the reductions and improvement measures which are currently being undertaken by the nations concerned. We shall continue to review the progress of further implementation.
- We noted the progress made on Longer-Range INF (LRINF) deployments by the NATO nations concerned, including the completion on schedule of Pershing II deployment at the end of last year and the continuing deployment of Ground-Launched Cruise Missiles as planned. We reiterated our willingness to reverse, halt, or modify the LRINF deployment - including the removal or dismantling of missiles already deployed - upon achievement of a balanced, equitable and verifiable agreement calling for such action.
- We accepted with pleasure an invitation from the Rt. Hon. George Younger, M.P., the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence, to hold our next meeting in the United Kingdom in Autumn 1986.
- Greece expressed its views in a statement included in the minutes. Denmark reserved its position on the INF part.