N.A.T.O. chiefs recognise defence deficiencies

Press, 24 May 1985, Page 6

N.A.T.O. chiefs recognise defence deficiencies

NZPA-Reuter Brussels N.AT.O. Defence Ministers yesterday agreed on a programme to improve nonnuclear defences and reduce reliance on nuclear arms, but avoided a controversial United States proposal for production of new chemical weapons.

The 14 Ministers agreed to correct deficiencies in non-nuclear defences bynarrowing priorities, improving long-term planning and making better use of existing resources. In a sign of exceptional harmony, the meeting, scheduled to end today, ended after only two sessions totalling three hours—the shortest session in memory.

President Reagan’s controversial “Star Wars” space weapons proposal was not on the agenda. In a communique, the Ministers specified several areas for special effort, including the need for a common aircraft identification system to save N.A.T.O.

from shooting down its own planes, and more aid to the poorest allies—Greece, Portugal and Turkey. The Secretary-General of N.A.T.0., Lord Carrington, said the Ministers had agreed there was “a political and military need for a renewed and determined effort to improve N.A.T.O.’s defences”.

The most politically sensitive issue at the talks was chemical weapons, on which the Reagan Administration had sought allied support in its effort to persuade Congress to fund production of new weapons. N.A.T.O. officials said a United States bid to have the allies formally recognise the need for a modern chemical deterrent was dropped before the meeting. Lord Carrington said it was felt chemical weapons did not fit into the conventional defence framework and that the West should press for a total ban on such arms.

In the absence of such a

ban, he warned, N.A.T.O. forces would be ill-prepared to survive and sustain operations if the Warsaw Pact initiated chemical warfare. The Ministers’ communique reaffirmed the guideline of achieving real annual defence spending increases of 3 per cent, after inflation, but an annex acknowledged that many nations faced political and economic problems with this target.

The Ministers said cooperation in arms production was vital in a more effective use of resources for conventional defence and declared: “The development of a more effective transatlantic two-way street is essential.” The American Defence Secretary, Mr Caspar Weinberger, said tank forces would be increased by 7 per cent over the next decade, anti-tank weapons by more than 40 per cent, combat planes by 22 per cent, and surface ships by 8 per cent.

The Ministers also pledged to increase weapon and ammunition stocks, to improve N.A.T.O.’s internal planning, make joint purchases of military equipment more frequently in order to save money, and to funnel more aid to Portugal, Greece and Turkey. Lord Carrington said there would be great emphasis on implementing the conventional defence improvements agreed to yesterday, although Ministers did not want to create any new bureaucracy to enforce the plan. He welcomed a long-term planning document from N.A.T.O.’s military authorities which warns that unless the alliance takes action, the Soviet Union could mount a successful conventional attack on Western Europe by the year 2000 without risking nuclear retaliation. Officials emphasised that this assessment was a worst-case scenario rather than a probability.