[ NATO PRESS RELEASES ]

Press
Release
(97)43

17 Apr. 1997

NATO Armaments Review

Following a North Atlantic Council mandate to review NATOs armaments planning procedures, the National Armaments Directors of NATO countries - the senior national officials responsible for defence procurement - are taking the opportunity afforded by this review to conduct a wider study of the procedures for Allied armaments co-operation.

National Armaments Directors stress that their decision seeks to exploit the very real opportunities now existing to significantly enhance such co-operation. Their decision further reflects the considerable changes that have taken place in the environment for armaments co-operation since the end of the Cold War. They view the work to be undertaken as an important contribution to the continuing transformation of the Alliance.

The Study will be conducted over a twelve month period, and will have three components. The first will analyse and define the "core business" of the NATO armaments community (the "what" and the "why"). The second component will define how the Alliance's procedures and structures should be adjusted to accomplished this core business effectively (the "how"). The third component will be one of defining an implementation plan.

The Armaments Directors' approval of the Core Business Plan is expected to be given by the Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) at its Spring meeting next year, after which it will be submitted to the Council for approval.

For further information, please contact Mr. Guillermo Leira, Director, Armaments Planning, Programmes and Policy, NATO Defence Support Division, tel: + 32-2-707 4334, fax: + 32-2-707 4103.


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