https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/537382681201cea1cc4daa853a35a3cc.pdf b70dfa332dd9599a519e16a3732749d9 PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information DoPitnW mi&^frtQM^^t^-S^l # . JUly 23, 1959. .muo^mm FOR T^E PRIMS^MINISTER Act- acces a I'information ^PXl9-4^^ /) V ^&+#$*&<fi> Re-deployment of USAF Squadrons Stationed in France There has been a certain amount of criticism . in the press recently concerning the lack of . consultation in HATO regarding the decision to re-*deploy USAF squadrons from bases in Prance as a result of the French refusal to permit the storage of nuclear warheads on their territory. An example of this criticism was contained in a ^Globe and Mail'* editorial of July 9 (copy attached). The charge of the alleged inadequacy of NATO consultation in the attached editorial is a confused charge. The editorial implies that the France-United States difficulties.are basic evidence that there is no NATO policy on the siting and control of nuclear weapons. The fact is that there are both policies and plans to implement those policies which have been discussed in HATO. (We must*.of course, keep continually under review the arrangements for political consultation in NATO relating to control oyer the use of nuclear weapons)* The present difficulties cannot be blamed on NATO or on the alleged absence of any NATO policy concerning nuclear weapons* Clearly the impasse has been reached . because General de Gaulle is determined to refuse to cooperate in NATO until the United States and the United Kingdom agree to France having a voice in the direction of •• * •2 001015 �Document disclosed under the Access to Inforn Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a t'informatt6 ** 2 A* •<N., *• ^ v ' global policy, especially in relation to decisions involving the use of nuclear weapons* The refusal to permit the storage of nuclear weapons on French territory is but one act in a series designed to gain his main objective* Since this seems to be the generally accepted motive behind the French position on the storage of nuclear warheads, it is r • ' • difficult to see how consultation In M T O on the basic •v problem would be either useful or desirable, particularly when there is no evidence that the French are prepared to * discuss the matter. It is, of course, proper that the redeployment of HATO forces made necessary by General de Gaulle's current stand should be discussed in Council, and this was done. It seems to us that SACEU1 fulfilled his responsibility in informing the Council that the only course open to him as the Commander responsible for defending the NATO European area was to recommend that the particular interceptor squadrons in question should be put where they could be armed with the atomic weapons which they are required to have to fulfil their assigned role. While individual members of the Council might regret the circumstances which made this course of action necessary, they could hardly contest its reasonableness. On June 11 General Norstad provided the Council with a detailed exposition of the situation and explained his.intentions regarding the redeployment of the USAF squadrons. There was also a discussion in the Council on July 8 when the United States and United Kingdom representatives expressed their governments1 support of SACEUR's. decision. The French representative simply noted the ... .3 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information ActDocument d\\tu\gue en vertu de \a Loi sur I'acces a {'informa ' .' " " • ~' 3 ~. ; ••• statement of the Suited States representative and remarked that he assumed the whole problem would be looked into further by the Standing Group and the Military Committee. Mr. Leger joined with the Norwegian and Netherlands representative in expressing concern at the apparent finality and long-term character of the arrangements (which SACEUB, in his first report to Council* indicated were necessary because of the Berlin situation), and in voicing the hope that further negotiations between the parties concerned might be possible. In response to Inquiries from a number of delegations. M. Spaak agreed to re-open discussion of the general problem in the Council at a suitable time when it appeared that the results might be fruitful* In addition to the discussions which took place in the Council, Air Vice Marshal Dunlap, a senior officer on SACEUB's staff kept Mr* Leger fully informed of developments on the military side* We were also well supplied with reports from the Americans through our Embassy in Washington. I am attaching a letter which I received recently from the United States Minister, Mr. Tyler Thompson, concerning Canada-United States consultation on this matter.. Tou may also be interested in the attached excerpt from Hansard recording the exchange which took place between Mr. Pearkes. Mr* Pearson and myself on July 9 concerning this question of consultation in HATO. - ' . _ • HOWARD C; QREtN � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDNW02456 Title A name given to the resource Memorandum for the Prime Minister by Howard Green Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 23-Jul-59 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived �NATO - Stockpiling of atomic weapons in NATO countries,� RG25-A-3-b, vol. 5958, 50219-AL-1-40, pt. 2.2, Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Department of External Affairs Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource atomic cooperation, NATO, nuclear weapons Description An account of the resource Re-deployment of USAF Squadrons Stationed in France Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en