Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Western European Integration and Security, Canada, Volume VII, Part 1

253. Telegram From the Mission at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and European Regional Organizations to the Department of State⁰

Paris, April 1, 1960, 8 p.m.

Polto 1984. Department pass Defense. Following is text of conclusions agreed by Defense Ministers as internal document:¹

Begin Verbatim Text.

I. Logistics in Peace and War

The Ministers of Defense of the NATO countries, after discussion of document C-M(60)24,² submitted by the Federal Minister of Defense, recognize that in modern warfare which is decisively influenced by material and technical factors, operational control and logistical control are inseparable, and consider therefore that new concrete measures should be taken to improve the logistics situation.

To this effect the Defense Ministers:

(1) Invite the NATO military authorities:

(A) In consultation and cooperation with the appropriate national authorities, to study the logistic and training problems referred to in the memorandum by the Federal Republic of Germany, C-M(60)24, in particular:

(I) The logistic and training requirements needed to raise, train and maintain in time of peace, the NATO forces at the level determined by the North Atlantic Council,

(II) The logistic requirements needed for the subsequent phases of a war. The study in each case should in addition to quantitative factors cover the organization of logistic support and training facilities.

(B) To report on the above lines to the North Atlantic Council in permanent session within two months, thus enabling the Council to discuss the ways and means by which the logistic and training requirements thus defined might be met. In particular, the report should contain the conclusions and recommendations of the NATO military authorities on the following measures:

(I) Creation of integrated logistical centers within the major allied commands,

(II) Common storage, logistical support, spare parts stocks and maintenance for all “advanced weapons”,

(III) An integrated depot infrastructure on a NATO-wide basis,

(IV) Arrangements for the joint use of training facilities.

(2) Invite the German Federal Republic to inform the Council within 3 months on the progress of the bilateral or multi-lateral negotiations, which their NATO allies have agreed to conduct with them, for additional training and storage facilities required for the German forces. This report should bring out the problems which remain unresolved.

II. Co-operation in Research, Development and Production

The Defense Ministers:

1. Propose that the Armaments Committee should draw up a list of approximately twenty projects either at the research and development stage or at the production stage, should take the necessary steps to implement the projects which are selected and should report to the Council on this matter every six months.

2. Agree that an attempt should be made to eliminate duplication at the research and development stage and that for this purpose a system of regular exchanges of information should be introduced to ensure a wider knowledge of the efforts undertaken by each country and propose that, to this end, exchanges of information on research and development be intensified, under the guidance of the Armaments Committee, if necessary by organizing special study groups.

3. While recognizing the value of the suggestion put forward by the Federal Republic of Germany (C-M(60)23) note that the creation of a technical-military agency under the Standing Group is not at present feasible, and therefore propose that this suggestion should be reconsidered when the Armaments Committee and the NATO military authorities have tried out during 12 months the procedure established by the Council (C-M(59)82).

4. Propose that the Armaments Committee should meet whenever necessary at the level of the senior national officials responsible for armaments matters.

III. Defense Planning

The Defense Ministers invite the Military Committee to examine the paper submitted by the United Kingdom Defense Minister on NATO defense planning C-M(60)29, and the remarks and suggestions made during the discussion of this document, and to submit a report to the Council before 1st July with their conclusions in particular as regards the consequences which the implementation of the principles contained in that document may have and their recommendations thereon.

IV. Sharing of the Defense Burden

The Defense Ministers:

After reviewing the various proposals on procedure put forward in the course of discussions with regard to follow-up action on document C-M(60)27 submitted by the United States Secretary of Defense on the subject of meeting the defense burden, recognize the need for a more effective effort and invite the Permanent Council to consider specific measures and programs for obtaining further support for the defense effort as may be submitted by NATO members, to study the most appropriate solution and to report at the Ministerial Meeting of December 1960.

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Burgess

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1-PA/4–160. Secret; Priority. Pouched to the other NATO capitals.
1. The Defense Ministers Conference met March 31-April 1; see Document 252.
2. None of the NATO documents cited in this telegram has been found.