Nuclear
Planning
Group

Brussels
29-30 October
1985

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Synopsis

The NATO Nuclear Planning Group (NPG) met in Ministerial Session at NATO Headquarters on 29th and 30th October 1985. Spain attended as an observer.

2. On the eve of the meeting between President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev, we declare that the President goes to Geneva with the full support and solidarity of the Alliance.

3. We reviewed the status of Alliance nuclear forces including the ongoing arms control negotiations in Geneva. In this context, we received comprehensive briefings by the United States Secretary of Defense on developments in the balance of nuclear forces, the arms controls negotiations, the continuing Soviet deployment, improvement and research programmes in the field of ballistic missile defence, and the United States Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) research programme. We continue to support the United States and the United Kingdom efforts to maintain the credibility of their strategic nuclear deterrent capabilities; NATO's strategic forces are the ultimate deterrent in preserving security, peace and freedom.

4. We welcome the opportunity for effective arms control offered by the Geneva negotiations now underway. We reviewed the status of the Geneva negotiations and expressed strong support for United States positions concerning intermediate, strategic, and defence and space systems. We discussed the prospects for progress in each of these areas stressing that close consultation among the Alliance partners remains essential. We hope that the recent Soviet counter-proposals, despite their one-sided and self- serving nature, indicate a Soviet willingness to accept verifiable and equitable arms control agreements involving deep reductions in numbers of nuclear weapons. We stressed the flexibility contained in the United States proposals for significant reductions, which have been on the table since the opening of the negotiations.

5. We received a detailed briefing from the United States Secretary of Defense on the evidence of Soviet treaty violations. We take the most serious view of this and call on the new Soviet leadership to take the steps necessary to assure 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 requirement for effective verification of, and full compliance with, all arms control agreements.

6. We continue to be concerned by the steady build-up of Soviet nuclear forces, in particular the testing and deployment of new strategic systems, including the SS-X-24 and the recently deployed SS-25, the deployment of a new generation of air-launched cruise missiles and the preparation for deployment of ground- and sea-based versions. We also note that the total SS-20 force has further increased to 441 launchers with 1,323 warheads. Alliance policy in comparison is to maintain only the minimum number of nuclear weapons necessary for credible deterrence.

7. In accordance with the Montebello Decision, SACEUR presented at our meeting in Luxembourg a programme to reduce NATO's nuclear stockpile in Europe by a further 1,400 warheads by the end of 1988. These reductions are underway; they include the withdrawal of Atomic Demolition Munitions (ADMs), from the Alliance's nuclear stockpile. Taken together with the 1,000 warheads already withdrawn, this would reduce the number of nuclear warheads in the Alliance's stockpile to the lowest point in 20 years. At the Luxembourg meeting, SACEUR also presented his proposals to improve the responsiveness, effectiveness, and survivability of the remaining forces. At this meeting we received a progress report reflecting the status of SACEUR's proposals. We continued to review those reduction and improvement measures, recommended by SACEUR, which are currently being undertaken through the appropriate channels by the nations concerned. We agreed to consider periodically the progress of further implementation which depends on decisions by the nations concerned.

8. We noted the progress made on Longer-Range INF (LRINF) deployments by NATO nations and the fact that negotiations on INF systems are currently underway. We reviewed, in particular, the status and the prospects for these negotiations and expressed support for the United States negotiating position developed in close consultation with its Allies. We emphasized NATO's determination to continue the deployment of LRINF missiles as scheduled in the absence of a concrete negotiated result with the Soviet Union obviating the need for such deployment. At the same time, we reiterated our willingness to reverse, halt or modify the LRINF deployment - including the removal and dismantling of missiles already deployed - upon achievement of a balanced, equitable and verifiable agreement calling for such action.

9. We accepted with pleasure an invitation from Dr. M. Wörner, the German Minister of Defence, to hold our next meeting in the Federal Republic of Germany in Spring 1986.

10. Greece expressed its views in a statement included in the minutes. Denmark reserved its position on the INF part.