MASTER DEFENCE PLAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27254, 3 December 1949, Page 7

MASTER DEFENCE PLAN

Designed To Meet Any Aggression From East

ATLANTIC TREATY NATIONS New Zealand Press Association—Reuter—Copyright Rec. 11.50 p.m. PARIS, Dec. 2. The master defence plan of the 12 Atlantic Treaty nations does not provide for letting an enemy overrun Western Europe but for holding him as far to the East as possible, high military sources said to-day. The basic intention of the plan, they said, was to provide maximum strength with this idea in mind. They believed that important roles had been assigned to the British, French and other Western European armies in holding, any enemy from the East before he reached the Western land frontier. 1

The French Defence Minister, M. Rene Pleven, said: “ The lack of timely co-ordination and joint preparation was a vital defect in Western defence before the Second World War. This time we are acting promptly and in complete

unison.”

The 12 Atlantic Treaty nations reached a “unanimous agreement" last night on the master plan to defend themselves against any possible aggression. A communique issued after a five-hour meeting of the Defence Ministers said the Ministers gave full approval to the strategic concept for the integrated defence of the North Atlantic area, and the provision of a programme for the production and supply of armaments and equipment. Officials described the master plan—.approved by the Ministers after an earlier agreement by the service chiefs —as a sober warning to any possible aggressor that Western Europe, backed by the might of the United States, stands ready to defend itself. Leading military planners of the Western world hailed the agreement as the “path to international peace and security.” Immediately after the secret session, the American Defence Secretary, Mr Louis Johnson, and the American Army Chief of Staff, General Omar Bradley, left by air for Washington to take the plan to President Truman. Final approval by the President will release £357,000,000 worth of military aid for Europe to give the plan its teeth. . The 800-word communique . said: “The Defence Committee arrived at a unanimous agreement, and gave full approval to the following actions: — 1. A strategic concept for the integrated defence of the North Atlantic area. 2., The provision of a programme for the production and supply of armaments and equipment. 3. Co-ordination of planning between the various regional groups. 4. Progress of defence planning of the North Atlantic Treaty organisation.

The meeting has reinforced the conviction of the parties that their cooperation for the common defence has contributed toward helping achieve the primary purpose of the United States—the maintenance of international peace and security. The communique said: “These efforts are with peaceful intent. They are not directed against any nation or any people but the parties are determined that their civilisation and institutions shall

be safeguarded.” Nowhere did the communique mention Russia or any other non-member nation by name. The nations signing the agreement wefe the United Kingdom, the United States, Belgium, Canada, Denmark. France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal.