The Defence Planning Committee of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization met in Ministerial session in Brussels on 28th and 29th November 1989. Our meeting took place at a time of profound and encouraging changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. We warmly welcome the opportunities these changes provide for improved East/West relations and a more stable and lasting peace in Europe. They are a testimony to the strength and attraction of our ideals of democracy, freedom and self-determination and to the success of Alliance policies. These developments also underline the value of the approach taken by the Alliance's Heads of State and Government at their May 1989 Summit when they set out an agenda designed to achieve the realisation of a just and lasting peaceful order in Europe. They re-affirmed that a strong and united Alliance will remain fundamental not only for the security of our countries but also for the policy of supporting political change. They also underlined the need to maintain effective defence and credible deterrence as the basis both for continued security of the Alliance and the pursuit of constructive dialogue and co-operation with the East, of which the process of arms control is an integral part. A time of rapid political change presents the West with new opportunities, although the resulting uncertainty also carries potential risks. Particularly during such a period, our defence requirements must continue to be assessed against the realities of Warsaw Pact military capabilities. We welcome the initiation of unilateral conventional force reductions by the Soviet Union and some of its allies, but we cannot ignore the fact that, even after completion of these reductions, the Warsaw Pact will retain well-equipped forces which substantially outnumber those of the West, underlining the need to reach an early CFE agreement. We therefore look forward to the prospect of a successful outcome next year to the CFE negotiations in Vienna which would substantially improve the balance of forces in Europe. A CFE agreement would have major implications for NATO's collective defence planning. We received a status report on the negotiations and welcomed the progress made, noting that the East has adopted a generally positive and constructive approach to Western initiatives which has contributed to the momentum of the negotiations so far. We also welcomed the progress in the CSBM negotiations in Vienna, including the agreement to hold a military doctrine seminar early next year. We reviewed the work set in train in our last meeting and endorsed a work programme to ensure that the Alliance's defence planning and arms control objectives remain mutually reinforcing in support of our ultimate goal of enhanced security for all Allies at the lowest possible level of forces. In view of the rapid pace of change in the East and the far-reaching consequences of parity of key equipment in the Atlantic to the Urals area, we are taking a pragmatic, step-by-step approach, retaining sufficient flexibility in our planning to respond in a timely manner to a successful outcome of the CFE negotiations. We also reaffirmed our determination not to make any unilateral reductions that could risk undermining the prospect of reaching a CFE accord. Against this background, and having recently at the Nuclear Planning Group addressed nuclear matters, we discussed a number of issues of particular relevance to the maintenance of a viable and credible conventional defence posture. We considered the results of the 1989 Annual Defence Review and adopted the NATO Force Plan for 1990-1994. The overall response to current Force Goals remains generally positive with a number of substantial improvements in equipment modernisation and force capabilities. Countries continue to place special emphasis on areas of key deficiency identified in the Conventional Defence Improvements (CDI) exercise. Nevertheless, despite the efforts and progress made there are still many areas where further improvements are required. Of fundamental importance to our discussions has been the need for all Alliance members to share equitably the rôles, risks and responsibilities, as well as the benefits of our collective defence. We noted that considerable progress has been made towards implementing the recommendations in the report which we published last December on Enhancing Alliance Security, but much remains to be done. The main developments are set out in greater detail in a progress report which we are publishing separately. We reviewed military assistance to and defence industrial co-operation with Greece, Portugal and Turkey. Deficiencies in the equipment of these three countries remain a matter of particular and longstanding concern and improvements in their defence capability would be of benefit to the Alliance as a whole. Although all three are making substantial efforts of their own, the shortcomings can only be overcome with assistance from other Allies. Some countries already make substantial assistance available. Last year we introduced Military Assistance Requirements into our defence planning process in an attempt to increase the overall level of assistance and to broaden its basis. The response so far has been disappointing but we agreed to seek to enhance our efforts to this end. We also discussed work under way on a range of specific defence plan- ning issues. We received a progress report by NATO's Military Authorities concerning the necessary level and appropriate mix of military training and exercises in Europe, which we will consider further when complete. Mindful of the need to minimise the impact on the environment, we will continue to reduce as far as possible the inconvenience and disruption to our publics caused by exercises and training, while still maintaining necessary operational standards. We also received a progress report on an examination by the NATO Military Authorities into the potential for the establishment of a multinational airmobile division composed of European forces in the Northern Army Group area and agreed that a full-time planning group should continue further studies. We welcomed the efforts of the Conference of National Armaments Directors to establish a conventional armaments planning system, which provides a link between armaments planning and force planning. In addition, we took note of progress made in a review of reinforcement planning. Finally, we welcomed the continued funding of the transfer of the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing to Italy, which underlines Alliance cohesion and resolve to maintain its defences. We recognise that the unprecedented changes now taking place in the East give rise to hopes that a more secure and stable military balance with the East at lower levels of forces can be achieved within a greatly improved climate of East/West relations. We welcome the developments on which those hopes are founded and, within the framework set out in the Summit Declaration, we will continue to play an active role in promoting co-operation and dialogue, pursuing all available opportunities for progress. While following this approach, and acknowledging potential risks inherent in the process of change, we underline that the Alliance policy of maintaining a credible and effective defence has helped to bring these improvements about and remains fundamental not only as a basis for the further progress in East/West relations which we seek, but also as the continued guarantee of peace and freedom.