740.5/3–3051: Telegram
The United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council (Spofford) to the Secretary of State 1
priority
Depto 693. Fol draft working paper on NATO2 reorg produced by working group and will be before CD on April 2:
Begin verbatim text:
“1. NAC, pursuant to their res on 19 Dec 1950 (Doc C6–D5 (final)3), having considered certain proposals for reorg and simplification of structure of NATO put forward by Canadian rep together with other related proposals, have agreed that provisions set out below shall replace:
- (a)
- Sections I, II, III, VII and VIII of report of WG on org, as adopted by Council on 17 Sept, 1949;4
- (b)
- Directive from NAC to DFEC (doc. Council D–1/4, 18 Nov, 1949);3
- (c)
- Directive from NAC to MPSB (doc. Council D–1/5, 18 Nov, 1949);3
- (d)
- Council res No. 4/7, 17 May, 19505 setting up NACD.
2. NAC is principal body in NATO. In accordance with treaty, Council is charged with responsibility of considering all matters concerning implementation of provisions of treaty. Such subsidiary bodies as are set up under Art 9 of treaty are subordinate to Council.
3. The org established under NAT shld be operated with as much flexibility as possible and be subj to review from time to time. Estab of this machinery does not preclude use of other means for consultation and cooperation between any or all of the parties on matters relating to treaty.
II. Council:
4. (Council shall be Council of Govts and its members shall represent their respective govts as a whole. It shall constitute not only the Council envisaged in Art 9 of treaty by [but] also the Def Comite referred to in same article. Council shall be composed of persons of ministerial rank, though in exceptional circumstances member govts may be represented by other persons duly designated for purpose. Heads of govts may attend mtgs of Council in person. Otherwise govts shall be represented by their Mins for Fon Affairs and/or, according to nature of agenda, by their Mins of Def, or Fin, or other competent Mins.)
Proposed US alternative draft text of para 4:
(NAC will represent respective govts of member states. It shall incorporate not only Council envisaged by Art 9 of treaty, but also the [Page 108] Def Comite referred to in same article. Council shall be composed of members of Ministerial rank although in exceptional circumstances member govts may be represented by other persons duly designated for purpose. Heads of govts may attend mtgs of the Council in person. Otherwise, govts shall be represented by their Min for Fon Affairs and/or their Min of Def or by other competent Mins (especially by their Min responsible for fin and econ affairs) according to nature of agenda.)
(For text of agreed minutes to para 4, see annex A (terms of reference).)
5. NAT shall constitute terms of ref of Council.
Times and frequency of sessions:
6. Council shall be convened by chairmen and shall meet in ordinary session annually and at such other times as may be deemed desirable by majority of parties. Extraordinary sessions under Article 4 and 5 of treaty may be called at request of any party invoking one of these articles.
Location:
7. Location of each session of Council shall be determined by chairman after consultation with other parties. For general convenience, ordinary annual session shld normally be held at about same time and in same gen geographical area as annual session of GA of UN. Other ordinary sessions shld whenever practicable be held at some convenient location in Eur.
Chairmanship:
8. Chairmanship shall be held in turn by parties according to alphabetical order in English language. Each party shall hold office from beginning of one ordinary annual session until appointment of new chairman at following ordinary annual session. If any party does not wish to accept chairmanship it shall pass to next party in alphabetical order.
Languages:
9. English and French shall be official languages for entire NATO.
III. Council deps:
10. To enable Council effectively to carry out its responsibilities and to exercise them continuously, each govt shall be represented by a Council dep. The CD constitute permanent working organ of NAC. When Council is not in session, CD shall carry out policies of Council, formulate issues requiring decisions by Council or by member govts, and otherwise constitute a body which may register approval their govts on matters before them for consideration. Each dep shall be assisted by such advisers as are deemed necessary by his govt.
11. CD shall have as their gen terms of ref those of Council; in addition to functions set out in para 10 above, they shall also:
- (a)
- Be responsible for coordinating activities of and giving guidance to all other permanent organs of NATO;
- (b)
- Exchange views on polit matters of common interest within scope of treaty;
- (c)
- (Furnish direction to mil agencies of NATO as to polit considerations upon which strategic decision shld be based);
- Proposed US alternative draft text: (Deal directly with mil comite as at present constituted, and when that body is not in session with standing group on polit matters having mil implications and provide these bodies with polit guidance upon which strategic decisions shld be based).
- Standing group shall maintain close liaison with CD and provide that body with advice on mil matters.
- (d)
- Promote and coordinate public info activities in furtherance of objectives of treaty while leaving responsibility for natl programs to each country;
- (e)
- Consider what further action shld be taken under Art 2 of treaty, taking into acct work of existing agencies in this field.
Chairmanship:
12. CD shall select a permanent chairman from among their membership. The chairman, in addition to presiding at mtgs CD, shall be responsible for directing org and its work. CD shall also appoint vice chairman who shall act in absence of chairman, office to rotate alphabetically by countries (in English language) at end of each calendar month.
Time and frequency of sessions:
13. CD shall be so organized as to function continuously.
Location:
14. CD shall have their HQ in London.
IV. Def Prod Board.
15. Org and terms of ref of DPB shall be set forth in D–D/205, 7 Dec 1950,6 except that Board shall in future report to CD and not, as provided in section IV, para (1) of that DOC, to Def Comite. Board shall keep CD currently informed of progress its work, and receive guidance from them.
V. Fin and Econ Board (to be inserted).”
Annex A.
Text of agreed minutes to be read in conjunction with para 4:
It was agreed that presence too many Mins at Council mtgs wld lead to considerable inconvenience, and that govts shld therefore be urged to keep their representation to minimum called for by agenda. It was felt that as gen rule, it shld be possible by careful arrangement agenda in advance to limit occasions on which presence more than one Min wld [approx 250 characters garbled].