Nuclear Designs: Great Britain, France and China in the Global Governance of Nuclear Arms by Bruce Larkin

Author:Bruce Larkin [Larkin, Bruce]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: International Relations, Arms Control, Political Science, General
ISBN: 9781351292863
Google: 7SBWDwAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 39950054
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2018-04-17T00:00:00+00:00

Coordination of Nuclear Reductions in NATO

NATO—with full British participation—has effected significant cutbacks in nuclear deployments, in effect implementing US-Soviet agreements to reduce nuclear systems. The communiqué of NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group meeting of 17 October 1991 delineates these measures clearly:

4. The principal objective of our meeting was to agree a new sub-strategic nuclear force posture and stockpile level which responds to the changing security environment in Europe. . . . there is no longer any requirement for nuclear ground-launched short-range ballistic missiles and artillery. In this context, we welcomed President Bush’s recent decision, and the reciprocal response by President Gorbachev, to withdraw and destroy the associated nuclear warheads worldwide. We also welcomed the decision to withdraw all tactical nuclear weapons from surface vessels, attack submarines and land-based naval aircraft, and to destroy many of these weapons.

5. In addition to the elimination of ground-launched nuclear systems, the number of air-delivered weapons in NATO’s European stockpile will be greatly reduced. The total reduction in the current NATO stockpile of sub-strategic weapons in Europe will be roughly 80%.

6. These unilateral measures, which are additional to the substantial reductions already made in recent years, accord with our long-standing policy of maintaining only the minimum level of nuclear forces required to preserve peace and stability. Nuclear weapons will continue for the foreseeable future to fulfil their essential role in the Alliance’s overall strategy, since conventional forces alone cannot ensure war prevention. We will therefore continue to base effective and up-to-date sub-strategic nuclear forces in Europe, but they will consist solely of dual-capable aircraft, with continued widespread participation in nuclear roles and peacetime basing by Allies. Sub-strategic nuclear forces committed to NATO continue to provide the necessary political and military link to NATO’s strategic nuclear forces and an important demonstration of Alliance solidarity.

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