Press Communiqué North Atlantic Council Paris 14th-16th Dec 1953

Final Communiqué Chairman: Mr. G. Bidault, Foreign Minister of France. Synopsis Exchange of views on political matters - Long-term defence plans and improvement of quality of NATO defence forces - provision of latest weapons to support defence system - Co-ordination of national civil defense plans.

The North Atlantic Council, meeting in Paris in Ministerial Session under the Chairmanship of the French Foreign Minister, M. Georges Bidault, completed its work today. The Council examined the international situation and views were exchanged on matters of common concern, including Soviet policy. The Council concluded that there had been no evidence of any change in ultimate Soviet objectives and that it remained a principal Soviet aim to bring about the disintegration of the Atlantic Alliance. While the Soviet Government had yet to show that it genuinely desired to reach agreement on any of the outstanding points of difference throughout the world, the policy of NATO is to seek solutions to problems by peaceful means. The Council therefore welcomed the steps taken by the Governments of France, the United Kingdom and the United States in their recent exchanges of notes with the Soviet Government to bring about an early meeting of the four Foreign Ministers in Berlin. The Council also warmly endorsed the initiative taken by the President of the United States in placing before the United Nations proposals for developing and expediting the peaceful use of atomic energy and bringing together the Powers principally involved in order to seek a solution to the problem of atomic armaments. The Council reaffirmed its conviction that peace and security must be the paramount aim of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It recognized that the increasing strength and unity of the North Atlantic Powers, which must be steadily reinforced, had proved to be decisive factors in maintaining peace and preventing aggression. Nevertheless, the threat to the Western world remains and member countries must be ready to face a continuance of this threat over a long period. The Atlantic Community must therefore be prepared to keep in being over a period of years forces and weapons which will be a major factor in deterring aggression and in contributing to the effective security of the NATO area, and which member countries can afford while at the same time maintaining and strengthening their economic and social structures. Improvements must continually be sought in the quality of NATO forces and to ensure that they have equipment which is always up-to-date so that, in the event of attack, they can act as a shield behind which the full strength of the member countries can be rapidly mobilized. Within the continuously developing framework of the Atlantic Community the institution of the European Defence Community including a German contribution, remains an essential objective for the reinforcement of the defensive strength of the Alliance. The Council considered the Report on the Annual Review for 1953 which records the progress in the NATO defence effort, particularly during the past year. At its meeting in December 1952, the Council laid emphasis on the development of the effectiveness of the forces. In this respect notable progress has been made. Large quantities of new equipment have been provided to the forces. This has enabled, in particular, many new support units to be built up. The goals established for the current year have been completely met for the land forces and to a substantial extent for the naval and air forces. On the basis of recommendations made in the Report, the Council adopted firm force goals for 1954, provisional goals for 1955, and planning goals for 1956. The force goals agreed upon for 1954 envisage some increase in the numerical strength of existing NATO forces and a very substantial improvement in their quality and effectiveness. It was agreed that special attention should be given to the continuing provision of modern weapons of the latest types to support the NATO defence system. The Council noted with satisfaction the intention of the President of the United States of America to ask Congress for authority to provide information on nuclear weapons to NATO Commanders for purposes of NATO military planning. The Council recognized that a long-term defence system as now envisaged raises important military and financial problems. With respect to the military problems the Council invited the Military Committee to continue its re-assessment of the most effective pattern of military forces, for this long term, both active and reserve, due regard being paid to the results of studies of the effect of new weapons. The Council will be kept informed of the progress of this work and a report will be submitted to it in due course. The Council will also keep under review the very considerable financial effort still required to continue the present build-up, to maintain NATO forces at an adequate level of readiness and to replace obsolescent weapons. The Council heard statements by Admiral Sir John Edelsten, Commander-in-Chief Channel, Admiral L.D. McCormick, Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic, and General Alfred M. Gruenther, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, on the work achieved in their Commands, and took note of a progress report by the Military Committee. In the course of its review the Council considered the Secretary General's Report and welcomed the progress recorded since the last Ministerial Meeting in April. It emphasized the importance of the work being done to co-ordinate national planning in such matters as civil defence, the wartime control and distribution of commodities and of shipping and other means of transport. Agreement was expressed with Lord Ismay's view that the preparations by member governments in these fields should parallel the progress already achieved in the military field. The Council took note that the problems of manpower had been kept under review and that several recommendations to governments had been approved. Progress which had been achieved this year in preparing correlated production programs was welcomed. These programs cover production, for several years ahead, of important ranges of military equipment. The Council expressed satisfaction with the Secretary General's Report on the implementation of the common infrastructure programs. Besides a large number of projects now under construction, no less than 120 airfields and a large network of signals communications facilities are in use by NATO forces. Ministers took the opportunity to meet together in restricted session and discussed informally matters of interest to all the member governments. They intend at future meetings to continue this procedure, which developed naturally from the sense of unity in the Alliance. They are continually mindful of the political links which bind them in an Alliance which is not solely military in character.