Part III
Key Policy
Documents
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Declaration
on Atlantic Relations issued by the
North Atlantic Council
("The Ottawa Declaration")
Ottawa, 19 June 1974
Declaration approved and published by the North Alantic Council in Ministerial
Session in Ottawa on 19 June, 1974 and signed by Heads of NATO Government
in Brussels on 26 June.
- The members of the North Atlantic Alliance declare that the Treaty
signed 25 years ago to protect their freedom and independence has confirmed
their common destiny. Under the shield of the Treaty, the Allies have
maintained their security, permitting them to preserve the values which
are the heritage of their civilisation and enabling Western Europe to
rebuild from its ruins and lay the foundations of its unity.
- The members of the Alliance reaffirm their conviction that the North
Atlantic Treaty provides the indispensable basis for their security,
thus making possible the pursuit of détente. They welcome the
progress that has been achieved on the road towards détente and
harmony among nations, and the fact that a conference of 35 countries
of Europe and North America is now seeking to lay down guidelines designed
to increase security and cooperation in Europe. They believe that until
circumstances permit the introduction of general, complete and controlled
disarmament, which alone could provide genuine security for all, the
ties uniting them must be maintained. The Allies share a common desire
to reduce the burden of arms expenditure on their peoples. But states
that wish to preserve peace have never achieved this aim by neglecting
their own security.
- The members of the Alliance reaffirm that their common defence is
one and indivisible. An attack on one or more of them in the area of
application of the Treaty shall be considered an attack against them
all. The common aim is to prevent any attempt by a foreign power to
threaten the independence or integrity of a member of the Alliance.
Such an attempt would not only put in jeopardy the security of all members
of the Alliance but also threaten the foundations of world peace.
- At the same time they realise that the circumstances affecting their
common defence have profoundly changed in the last ten years: the strategic
relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union has reached
a point of near equilibrium.
Consequently, although all the countries of the Alliance remain vulnerable
to attack, the nature of the danger to which they are exposed has changed.
The Alliance's problems in the defence of Europe have thus assumed a
different and more distinct character.
- However, the essential elements in the situation which gave rise
to the Treaty have not changed. While the commitment of all the Allies
to the common defence reduces the risk of external aggression, the contribution
to the security of the entire Alliance provided by the nuclear forces
of the United States based in the United States as well as in Europe
and by the presence of North American forces in Europe remains indispensable.
- Nevertheless, the Alliance must pay careful attention to the dangers
to which it is exposed in the European region, and must adopt all measures
necessary to avert them. The European members who provide three-quarters
of the conventional strength of the Alliance in Europe, and two of whom
possess nuclear forces capable of playing a deterrent role of their
own contributing to the overall strengthening of the deterrence of the
Alliance, undertake to make the necessary contribution to maintain the
common defence at a level capable of deterring and if necessary repelling
all actions directed against the independence and territorial integrity
of the members of the Alliance.
- The United States, for its part, reaffirms its determination not
to accept any situation which would expose its Allies to external political
or military pressure likely to deprive them of their freedom, and states
its resolve, together with its Allies, to maintain forces in Europe
at the level required to sustain the credibility of the strategy of
deterrence and to maintain the capacity to defend the North Atlantic
area should deterrence fail.
- In this connection the member states of the Alliance affirm that
as the ultimate purpose of any defence policy is to deny to a potential
adversary the objectives he seeks to attain through an armed conflict,
all necessary forces would be used for this purpose. Therefore, while
reaffirming that a major aim of their policies is to seek agreements
that will reduce the risk of war, they also state that such agreements
will not limit their freedom to use all forces at their disposal for
the common defence in case of attack. Indeed, they are convinced that
their determination to do so continues to be the best assurance that
war in all its forms will be prevented.
- All members of the Alliance agree that the continued presence of
Canadian and substantial US forces in Europe plays an irreplaceable
role in the defence of North America as well as of Europe. Similarly
the substantial forces of the European Allies serve to defend Europe
and North America as well. It is also recognised that the further progress
towards unity, which the member states of the European Community are
determined to make, should in due course have a beneficial effect on
the contribution to the common defence of the Alliance of those of them
who belong to it. Moreover, the contributions made by members of the
Alliance to the preservation of international security and world peace
are recognised to be of great importance.
- The members of the Alliance consider that the will to combine their
efforts to ensure their common defence obliges them to maintain and
improve the efficiency of their forces and that each should undertake,
according to the role that it has assumed in the structure of the Alliance,
its proper share of the
burden of maintaining the security of all. Conversely, they take the
view that in the course of current or future negotiations nothing must
be accepted which could diminish this security.
- The Allies are convinced that the fulfillment of their common aims
requires the maintenance of close consultation, cooperation and mutual
trust, thus fostering the conditions necessary for defence and favorable
for détente, which are complementary. In the spirit of the friendship,
equality and solidarity which characterise their relationships, they
are firmly resolved to keep each other fully informed and to strengthen
the practice of frank and timely consultations by all means which may
be appropriate on matters relating to their common interests as members
of the Alliance, bearing in mind that these interests can be affected
by events in other areas of the world. They wish also to ensure that
their essential security relationship is supported by harmonious political
and economic relations. ln particular they will work to remove sources
of conflict between their economic policies and to encourage economic
cooperation with one another.
- They recall that they have proclaimed their dedication to the principles
of democracy, respect for human rights, justice and social progress,
which are the fruits of their shared spiritual heritage and they declare
their intention to develop and deepen the application of these principles
in their countries. Since these principles, by their very nature, forbid
any recourse to methods incompatible with the promotion of world peace,
they reaffirm that the efforts which they make to preserve their independence,
to maintain their security and to improve the living standards of their
peoples exclude all forms of aggression against anyone, are not directed
against any other country, and are designed to bring about the general
improvement of international relations. In Europe, their objective continues
to be the pursuit of understanding and cooperation with every European
country. In the world at large, each Allied country recognises the duty
to help the developing countries. It is in the interest of all that
every country benefit from technical and economic progress in an open
and equitable world system.
- They recognise that the cohesion of the Alliance has found expression
not only in cooperation among their governments, but also in the free
exchange of views among the elected representatives of the peoples of
the Alliance. Accordingly, they declare their support for the strengthening
of links among Parliamentarians.
- The members of the Alliance rededicate themselves to the aims and
ideals of the North Atlantic Treaty during this year of the twenty-fifth
anniversary of its signature. The member nations look to the future,
confident that the vitality and creativity of their peoples are commensurate
with the challenges which confront them. They declare their conviction
that the North Atlantic Alliance continues to serve as an essential
element in the lasting structure of peace they are determined to build.
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