Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Western European Security, Volume V, Part 2

Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 364

Memorandum Prepared by the French Delegation¹

secret
[NPC (54)1]

[London,] September 27, 1954.

The draft which appears below is based on the following principles:—

(1) Non-discrimination.

(2) Limitation of forces and of armaments.

(3) Control of forces and of armaments.

(4) Conditions laid down for the armed forces (effectives and armaments) to apply exclusively to those forces placed by the member countries at the disposal of the Supreme NATO Command.

(5) Full participation of Great Britain within this framework.

I. The Brussels Treaty shall be amended in such a way as to provide the basis for an organisation entrusted with the consolidation of security and peace on the Continent of Europe. Germany and Italy shall become members, the necessary amendments being made to the Treaty as now in force.

This text shall be completed by military arrangements on a large scale.

II. As regards the armed forces (effectives and armaments) on the Continent of Europe, placed by each member country at the disposal of the Supreme Command, the Council provided for in Article 7 of the Brussels Treaty shall adopt the levels fixed by the Council of NATO on the proposal of the Supreme Command.

The levels fixed by NATO as minima shall, however, for the members of the Brussels Treaty be treated as maxima which they will undertake not to exceed.

Observance of these maxima shall be guaranteed by control and inspection organised throughout the Continental territory covered by the agreement.

III. So far as armaments are concerned, a distinction shall be made between two categories:—

(a) armaments covered by Annex 2 of Article 107 of the Treaty of Paris (allowing for a possible revision of the list);

(b) other armaments.

Manufacture of arms covered by category (a) shall be prohibited in strategically exposed zones to be defined on a map annexed to the agreement. The Council of Seven shall ensure by inspection and control that the rule prohibiting manufacture is observed.

Manufacture on the Continent of arms covered by category (b) and their distribution shall be directed and controlled by the Council, whose special task it will be to:—

(i) draw up programmes for manufacture of arms and allot the orders corresponding to these programmes to the different member countries;

(ii) allocate the arms to the different forces;

(iii) receive the arms imported free from the United States and allocate them.

The continental countries undertake not to manufacture any armaments over and above those for which orders have been allocated to them. The Council may also authorise manufacture for export. The manufacture of armaments may also be authorised if intended for the equipment of forces of member countries other than those placed at the disposal of the Supreme Command.

The sole purpose of the control provided for armaments of category (a) shall be to ensure that none have been manufactured, whereas the control provided for armaments of category (b) shall be both qualitative and quantitative.

In order that the quantitative control which the Council is to exercise may be effective, it must also be extended to the setting up of new armaments plants, industries and factories. In such cases authority must be granted by the Council, which shall base its decision on strategic considerations. The Continental area covered by the agreement shall be defined as a series of zones subject to limitations decreasing progressively from east to west. In order to avoid any discrimination under this system and to render it equitable, new armaments factories owned in common could be established in the unexposed zones.

The Council’s decision shall be taken, according to circumstances, by a simple majority, a weighted majority, or unanimously. Where armaments control is concerned, they shall be taken by simple majority.

IV. Both as regards the size of the armed forces and of the armaments, the Council of Seven shall, so far as possible, have recourse to the services of NATO for the inspection and control provided for above.

1. According to a cover sheet attached to the source text, this memorandum was circulated by the French Delegation during the First Plenary meeting on Sept. 28.