Conference files, lot 60 D 627, cf 365

Report by the Working Party on a German Defense Contribution and Arrangements To Apply SACEUR’s Forces on the Continent1

confidential
[NPC (54) 38]

The nine Governments represented at the London Conference agree to instruct representatives to draw up in Paris, in concert with the military and civilian agencies of N.A.T.O. through the Secretary General, detailed proposals, for approval by the North Atlantic Council, for a German defence contribution and arrangements to be applied to SACEUR’s forces on the Continent. These detailed proposals shall be based on the following principles agreed between the nine Governments:

1.

(a) The seven Brussels Treaty Powers will conclude a special agreement setting out the forces each of them will place under SACEUR on the Continent.

(b) The German Contribution shall conform in size and general characteristics to the contribution fixed for the E.D.C. brought up to date and adapted as necessary to make it suitable for N.A.T.O.

(c) The terms of this special agreement will be agreed with the other N.A.T.O. countries.

(d) If at any time the N.A.T.O. Annual Review recommends an increase above the figures in the Brussels Special Agreement such increase will require the unanimous approval of the Brussels powers expressed in the Brussels Council or in N.A.T.O.

(e) The Brussels Powers will ask that arrangements be made for SACEUR to designate a high-ranking officer who will be instructed to transmit regularly to the Brussels Treaty Organisation information acquired as indicated in 3 (f) below in order to permit that Organisation to establish that the figures agreed among the Brussels Powers are being observed.

2.
All forces of N.A.T.O. countries stationed on the Continent of Europe shall be placed under the authority of SACEUR, with the exception of the forces which N.A.T.O. has recognised or will recognise as suitable to remain under national command. The strength and armaments on the Continent of the internal defence forces and of the police belonging to the members of the Brussels Treaty Organisation [Page 1339] shall be fixed by agreements made within this Organisation, taking into account the task for which they are intended and on the basis of existing levels and needs.
3.
Arrangements to apply to SACEUR’s forces:
(a)
Forces placed under SACEUR on the Continent shall be deployed in accordance with N.A.T.O. strategy.
(b)
The location of such forces shall be determined by SACEUR after consultation and agreement with the national authorities concerned.
(c)
Such forces shall not be redeployed on the Continent nor used operationally on the Continent without his consent subject to appropriate political guidance from the North Atlantic Council.
(d)
Forces placed under SACEUR on the Continent shall be integrated as far as possible consistent with military efficiency.
(e)
Arrangements shall be made for the closer co-ordination of logistics by SACEUR.
(f)
The level and effectiveness of forces placed under SACEUR on the Continent and the armaments, equipment, logistics and reserve formations of those forces on the Continent shall be inspected by SACEUR.

  1. According to a cover sheet attached to the source text, this report, which was circulated as document NPC (54) 38, was adopted by the Conference during the Eighth Plenary meeting of Oct. 1.