Part III
Key Policy
Documents
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The
Montebello Decision on reductions of Nuclear Forces announced by the Nuclear
Planning Group in Ministerial Session
Montebello,Canada, 27 October 1983
NUCLEAR PLANNING GROUP
Annex to the Final Communiqué of the Autumn Ministerial Meeting
of the NATO Nuclear Planning Group (NPG).
At Montebello, Nuclear Planning Group (NPG) Ministers declared that the
policy of the Alliance is to preserve the peace through the maintenance
of forces at the lowest level capable of deterring the Warsaw Pact threat.
Consistent with this policy the Alliance since 1977 has been conducting
analyses aimed at assuring that nuclear weapons in NATO's armoury are
held to the minimum number necessary for deterrence, taking account of
developments in conventional as well as nuclear forces.
On the basis of the initial results of these analyses, the Alliance decided
in December 1979 that, unless obviated by successful negotiation with
the Soviet Union, the deployment of longer- range weapons (Pershing II
and cruise missiles) was essential to restoring the balance and maintaining
the integrity of NATO's deterrent posture. The Alliance remains committed
to the dual- track decision and its implementation (*).
At the same time Ministers decided to reduce the NATO stockpile by 1,000
warheads. This withdrawal has been completed. Moreover, Ministers mandated
further analysis to determine whether the withdrawal of weapons beyond
the 1,000 then decided could be accomplished safely, in a manner consistent
with the maintenance of deterrence at the lowest possible level of weapons.
With the Alliance analysis now complete, the Nuclear Planning Group has
decided on 27 October, 1983 to withdraw 1,400 warheads during the next
several years. This Ministerial decision, taken together with the already
accomplished withdrawal of 1,000 warheads will bring to 2,400 the total
number of warheads to be removed from Europe since 1979. Moreover, this
reduction will not be affected by any deployment of Longer-
Range INF (LRINF) since one warhead will be removed for each Pershing
II or Ground-Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) warhead deployed.
The detailed implementation of this decision as to the precise composition
of the stockpile is a matter for the responsible military authorities
to determine and a programme to effect this will be worked out and implemented
over the next five to six years. In this context, appropriate consideration
will be given to short-range systems. NATO's military authorities should
report their findings at a future NPG meeting.
Recognising that for this minimum level stockpile to make the most effective
contribution to deterrence, both the delivery systems and the warheads
must be survivable, responsive and effective, Ministers accordingly identified
a range of possible improvements. Ministers established broad criteria
which will remain valid for the next decade, including the continuing
importance of strengthening conventional forces. The Alliance must, however,
take account at all times of changes to Soviet capabilities during this
period.
Contrary to the impression that NATO has been fuelling an arms build-up
by adding to its nuclear armoury, this sustained programme of reductions
will have reduced NATO's nuclear stockpile to the lowest level in over
20 years. Ministers urged the Soviet Union to follow the example set by
the Alliance, to halt and reverse its build-up of nuclear forces, and
to join NATO in the search for a safer future.
Footnote:
(*)Greece has expressed its views in the minutes
of the NPG at Montebello.
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