The NATO Nuclear Planning Group composed of Ministers of
Defence of eight NATO countries adjourned today after a
two-day conference in Mittenwald, Germany. This was the
ninth of the regular half-yearly meetings of the group.
Ministers attending the meeting were Mr. Donald S.
MacDonald, Canada; Mr. Helmut Schmidt, Germany; Mr. Loukas
Patras (Minister of State), Greece; Mr. Mario Tanassi,
Italy; Mr. Willem den Toom, The Netherlands; Mr. Alv Jakob
Fostervoll, Norway; Lord Carrington, United Kingdom; and
Mr. Melvin R. Laird, United States. The meeting was chaired
by Mr. Manlio Brosio, Secretary General of NATO.
Ministers reviewed the balance of strategic forces and
exchanged views of the implications for NATO of recent
trends and developments.
Ministers also confirmed that the NATO military plans were
in conformity with the policy guidance which the NATO
Defence Planning Committee had approved in December 1970.
Ministers discussed a number of studies dealing with the
tactical use of nuclear weapons in defence of the Treaty
area in support of the strategy of flexibility in response.
These studies form part of an on-going work program
designed to extend over several meetings. Consideration of
these studies and others to be completed in the future is
expected to assist in the development of further policy
recommendations and thereby to enhance NATO's deterrent and
defensive nuclear posture.
Ministers accepted the invitation extended by the Belgian
Government to hold their next meeting in Belgium in the
Autumn of 1971.
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