Header
Updated: 23-Oct-2000 Ministerial Communiqus

Ministerial
Communiqué

Paris
25th July 1966

Final Communiqué

Chairman: Mr. M. Brosio.


Synopsis

Defence Ministers review progress on strategy, force requirements and resources - Balance of payment difficulties - NATO flanks - ACE Mobile Force- Five-year defence planning review.

    The Defence Ministers of the member countries of the North Atlantic Alliance met in Paris on 25th July, 1966 under the chairmanship of the Secretary General, Mr. Manlio Brosio.

  1. The Ministers reaffirmed their determination, in pursuit of their objective of maintaining peace and security, to continue to take all necessary measures to provide a deterrent to war and to ensure the defence and integrity of the North Atlantic area.

  2. They reviewed the progress made since December 1965 in the studies of the inter-related questions of strategy, force requirements, and resources which were initiated by ministers at Ottawa in May 1963. After a comprehensive survey of the forces which member countries plan for the Alliance, in the course of which they emphasized the importance of a balanced force structure and the need for an equitable sharing of burdens, they noted the improvements envisaged over the period up to 1970 and, taking into account the special position of the South Eastern Region, adopted a NATO force plan for this period within the agreed concept of forward defence. They identified certain other measures by which NATO forces could be strengthened during the same period and laid down guidelines for their further improvement in the years following 1970. In this context, they called for an appreciation of the military situation as it would affect NATO up to and including 1975. They also gave directions for a series of studies designed to secure the best possible use of available resources. They noted that the contribution of French forces to the Alliance and the conditions of their co-operation with NATO forces were under separate consideration.

  3. The United Kingdom Defence Secretary drew attention to the problems that might arise militarily and financially for the Alliance from a failure to solve those balance of payments difficulties which his country was facing as a result of its contribution to NATO.

  4. The Ministers underlined the importance of the defence of the flank regions of the North Atlantic area. They also gave instructions for the completion of defence planning studies related to the South Eastern Region.

  5. They devoted special attention to the part which the Allied Command Europe Mobile Force can play in contributing to deterrence and demonstrating that spirit of solidarity and unity of purpose upon which the North Atlantic Alliance is based. They gave directions for the development of new financial arrangements for this force.

  6. Ministers also reaffirmed the principle of an annual defence planning review on a 5-year basis. They adopted measures for the initiation in January 1967 of procedures which, by projecting Alliance force goals and country plans five years ahead each year, will improve the annual process of reviewing the defence efforts of member countries and agreeing upon their force contributions.


 [ Go to Index Comm '60-'69 ]  [ Go to Homepage ]