Missile Bases In Europe Planned

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28440, 21 November 1957, Page 15

Missile Bases In Europe Planned

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 19. The Secretary of State (Mr Dulles) told his press conference today that proposals to be discussed at the summit meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in December would, if approved, result in guided missile bases being established in Europe. In Paris, the Allies would explore the possibility of making an arrangement similar to the BritishAmerican agreement by which stocks of American intermediate range ballistic missiles will be placed on British soil as a deterrent to the Soviet rocket threat. Mr Dulles said that negotiations in the first instance presumably would be conducted by General Lauris Norstad, the Supreme Commander in Europe, with the N.A.T.O. organisation itself and not with individual governments. He expressed the hope that these negotiations would result in the placing of some of these missiles on the Continent.

Mr Dulles said there would be a very considerable measure of Allied participation in the handling of any missiles sent to Europe. He made this statement when asked about reports that some of the Allies did not want them, because the countries concerned would become a target for Soviet reprisals. Mr Dulles discounted reports of Allied reluctance. He said that General Norstad told him in Washington a few days ago that the missiles were very much desired in Europe and added it was obvious that the United States would not force the missiles on any country which did not want them.

Mr Dulles expressed doubt that it would be necessary to change the present system under which nuclear warheads sent abroad remained in the technical custody of United States forces He said that the present system was satisfactory and in the event of war the President of the United States would be able to tu~n. the warheads over to the Allies. The N A.T.O. forces, he observed. would have been trained and would possess the equipment for using the warheads. He also said he thought the North Atlantic Treaty commitment—that an attack on one member would be viewed as an attack against all—was as strong as it could be made. He had been asked if there was any necessity to go beyond this commitment and if the Western European Allies needed a harder guarantee from the United States itself. Mr Dulles pointed out that the United States commitment was reinforced by the presence of American troops at forward positions who presumably would be attacked in the event of an assault. So. in addition to treaty obligations, there would be the exercise of what he termed the basic right and obligation of a commander to defend himself against attack.