The fundamental purpose of the nuclear forces of the
Allies is political: to preserve peace and prevent coercion
and any kind of war. They continue to fulfil an essential
role by ensuring uncertainty in the mind of any potential
aggressor about the nature of the Allies' response to
military aggression. They demonstrate that aggression of
any kind is not a rational option. The supreme guarantee
of the security of the Allies is provided by the strategic
nuclear forces of the Alliance, particularly those of the
United States; the independent nuclear forces of the
United Kingdom and France, which have a deterrent role
of their own, contribute to the overall deterrence and
security of the Allies.
A credible Alliance nuclear posture and the demonstra-
tion of Alliance solidarity and common commitment to
war prevention require widespread participation by the
European Allies involved in collective defence planning,
in nuclear roles, in peacetime basing of nuclear forces on
their territory and in command, control and consultation
arrangements. Nuclear forces based in Europe and com-
mitted to NATO provide an essential political and military
link between the European and the North American
members of the Alliance.
The Defence Ministers of member countries which
take part in NATO's Defence Planning Committee come
together at regular intervals each year in the Nuclear Plan-
ning Group which meets specifically to discuss policy
issues associated with nuclear forces. These discussions
cover policy and deployment issues, reductions in force
levels, nuclear arms control and wider questions of
common concern such as nuclear proliferation. The Alli-
ance's nuclear policy is kept under continuous review and
decisions are taken jointly to modify or adapt it in the
light of developments - for example, the decisions taken
in 1991 to eliminate whole categories of nuclear forces no
longer considered to be necessary and to make major
reductions in nuclear weapons in other categories.
While the issues involved in the formulation and
implementaton of NATO's policy with regard to nuclear
forces are discussed in the Nuclear Planning Group, in
the present circumstances the likelihood of the Alliance
being forced to contemplate the employment of nuclear
weapons for its defence is extremely remote. However,
in such circumstances, the ultimate decision on employ-
ment would lie with the nuclear powers owning the
weapons.
12. ECONOMIC COOPERATION
The basis for economic cooperation within the Alliance
stems from Article 2 of the North Atlantic Treaty which
states that the member countries ``will seek to eliminate
conflict in their international economic policies and will
encourage economic collaboration between any or all of
them''. NATO's Economics Committee, which was estab-
lished to promote cooperation in this field, is the only
Alliance forum concerned exclusively with consultations
on economic developments with a direct bearing on secu-
rity policy. Analyses and joint assessments of security-
related economic developments are key ingredients in the
coordination of defence planning within the Alliance.
They cover matters such as comparisons of military spend-
ing, developments within the defence industry, the avail-
ability of resources for the implementation of defence
plans, intra-Alliance trade in defence equipment and
economic cooperation and assistance between member
countries.
The premise on which economic cooperation within
the Alliance is founded is that political cooperation and
economic conflict are irreconcilable and that there must
therefore be a genuine desire among the members to
work together in the economic as well as in the political
field and a readiness to consult on questions of common
concern based on the recognition of common interests.
The member countries recognise that in many respects
the purposes and principles of Article 2 of the Treaty are
pursued and implemented by other organisations and
international forums specifically concerned with econ-
omic cooperation. NATO therefore avoids unnecessary du-
plication of work carried out elsewhere but reinforces
collaboration between its members whenever economic
issues of special interest to the Alliance are involved,
particularly those which have political or defence implica-
tions. The Alliance therefore acts as a forum in which
different and inter-related aspects of political, military
and economic questions can be examined. It also provides
the means whereby specific action in the economic field
can be initiated to safeguard common Alliance interests.
Recognising that Alliance security depends on the econ-
omic stability and well-being of all its members as well as
on political cohesion and military cooperation, studies
were therefore initiated in the 1970's, for example, on the
specific economic problems of Greece, Portugal and
Turkey. These resulted in special action by NATO govern-
ments to assist the less prosperous members of the Alli-
ance by means of major aid programmes implemented
largely through other organisations such as the Organisa-
tion for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD). The special economic problems and prospects
of these countries continue to be closely monitored.
In the context of the Alliance's overall security inter-
ests, a wide range of other economic issues may have a
bearing on collective security. This includes matters such
as the conversion of defence production to civilian pur-
poses, defence expenditures/budgets, industrial perform-
ance, consumer and agriculture problems, population
movements and external economic relations - particularly
with respect to the countries of Central and Eastern
Europe and the independent states on the territory of the
former Soviet Union. Analyses and joint studies of issues
such as these have contributed for many years to NATO's
assessment of the security environment affecting its coordi-
nated defence plans. Increasingly they form part of the
wider approach to security issues adopted by the Alliance
as a result of the fundamental changes which have taken
place in Europe. As one of the areas for increased cooper-
ation between the members of the Alliance and their cooper-
ation partners foreseen in the Declaration issued by
NATO Heads of State and Government in Rome in
November 1991, economic topics can be expected to be
the subject of broader exchanges of information and
assessments in the future. In accordance with the Work
Plan for Dialogue, Partnership and Cooperation issued
in March 1992, joint work with NATO's cooperation
partners is taking place, for example, on defence conver-
sion and the inter-relationship of defence expenditure
and budgets with the economy. Cooperation partners
were also represented in NATO's 1992 Economics Collo-
quium and Defence Economics Workshop.
13. PUBLIC INFORMATION
Public recognition of the achievements of the Alliance
and of its continuing role in the post-Cold War era is
fundamental to the continued success of the Alliance and
its ability to carry out its basic tasks, while expanding
and deepening its relations with former adversaries with
whom it has now established a new partnership based on
cooperation, dialogue and common security interests. The
responsibility for explaining national defence and security
policy and each member country's own role within the
Alliance rests with each individual government. The
choice of the methods to be adopted and the resources to
be devoted to the task of informing their publics about
the policies and objectives of the Alliance is also a matter
for each member nation to decide.
The role of NATO's Office of Information and Press is
therefore to complement the public information activities
undertaken within each country, providing whatever as-
sistance may be required, and to manage the Organisa-
tion's day-to-day relations with the media. In accordance
with the Work Plan for Dialogue, Partnership and Co-
operation issued in March 1992, it is also contributing to
the widespread dissemination of information about NATO
in the countries participating in the North Atlantic Co-
operation Council.
To meet these requirements the Office of Information
and Press produces information materials such as period-
ical and non-periodical publications, videos, photographs
and exhibitions. It also administers a major programme
of visits which brings over 20,000 people to NATO Head-
quarters each year, for briefings by and discussions with
experts from the International Staff, International Mili-
tary Staff and national Delegations, on all aspects of the
Alliance's work and policies. Conferences and seminars
on security-related themes are also organised both at
NATO and elsewhere, often involving security specialists,
parliamentarians, journalists, church leaders, trade union-
ists, academics, students or youth organisations.
The NATO Office of Information and Press also spon-
sors two types of Research Fellowship Programmes; the
first, which has existed since 1956, awards grants to post-
graduates and other qualified citizens of member coun-
tries to stimulate study and research into subjects of
relevance to the Alliance; the second, introduced in 1989,
makes awards to citizens of the countries of Central and
Eastern Europe for the study of Western democratic
institutions. An annual Atlantic Award is also organised
for outstanding service to the Alliance by private citizens
from member countries. This award is presented by the
Secretary General on the recommendation of an inde-
pendent jury.
The role of managing day-to-day relations with the
media is covered by the Press and Media Service, which
is responsible for channelling official policy statements
and announcements to journalists, arranging interviews
with the Secretary General and other senior officials of
the Organisation and dealing with enquiries and visits
from the media.
The Work Plan for developing the dialogue, partner-
ship and cooperation in the information field with Central
and Eastern European countries and other members of
the North Atlantic Cooperation Council, includes joint
meetings, dissemination of information through diplo-
matic liaison channels and NATO embassies, group visits
to NATO, sponsorship of seminar participation in Allied
countries, co-sponsorship of seminars in Central and
Eastern Europe, speakers' tours, a limited expansion of
the Democratic Institutions Fellowships Programme,
special publications and wider dissemination of NATO
documentation.
There are a number of non-governmental organisations
which support NATO and play an important role, often in
an educational capacity, in disseminating information
about Alliance goals and policies. The NATO Office of
Information and Press assists them in this work. These
organisations include national Atlantic Committees or
Associations in each member country, as well as a number
of other bodies such as the North Atlantic Assembly,
which brings together Parliamentarians from member
countries, and the Interallied Confederation of Reserve
Officers, in which twelve member countries are repre-
sented. Further information about these organisations is
given in Part V.
14. THE COMMON INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMME
Installations of many different kinds are needed to enable
military forces to train effectively and to be ready to
operate efficiently if called upon to do so. The NATO
Common Infrastructure Programme enables the installa-
tions and facilities required by the Major NATO Com-
manders for the training and operational use of the forces
assigned to them to be financed collectively by the partici-
pating countries. Such funding takes place within agreed
limits and in accordance with agreed NATO procedures on
the basis of cost-sharing arrangements developed to dis-
tribute the burden and benefits as equitably as possible.
The programme provides for installations and facilities
such as airfields, communications and information sys-
tems, military headquarters, fuel pipelines and storage,
radar and navigational aids, port installations, missile
sites, forward storage and support facilities for reinforce-
ment, etc. Infrastructure used only by national forces, or
portions of installations which do not come within the
criteria for NATO common-funding, are financed by the
governments concerned. Contracts for installations desig-
nated as NATO Infrastructure are normally subject to
international competitive bidding procedures on the basis
of cost estimates, screened by the NATO Infrastructure
Payments and Progress Committee, to ensure compliance
with agreed specifications as well as maximum efficiency
and economy. Aspects of such contracts which can best
be undertaken locally are usually exempt from this pro-
cedure and are subject to national competitive bidding,
but the principle is maintained and exemption has to be
approved. Completed projects are subject to inspection
by teams consisting of experts from the country on whose
territory the installation is located, user countries, and
NATO International Staff and Military Authorities. The
programme is continuously monitored by the NATO
Infrastructure Committees and all financial operations
are audited by the NATO International Board of Audi-
tors under the authority of the North Atlantic Council.
The Infrastructure Programme is being adapted to meet
the requirements of the Alliance's new Strategic Concept
published in November 1991.
15. LOGISTIC SUPPORT
There are many spheres of civilian and military activity
which have a direct or indirect bearing on the common
security of the member countries of the Alliance. The
assistance available to defence forces to enable them to
fulfil their roles includes, for example, providing shared
access to the logistic support which they need if they are
to function effectively. Each member country is respons-
ible for ensuring, individually or through cooperative
arrangements, the continuous support of its own forces.
Coordinated logistics planning is therefore an essential
aspect of the efficient and economical use of resources.
Examples of cooperative arrangements include the
common funding of logistics facilities under the NATO
Infrastructure Programme, the coordination of civil
logistics resources under Civil Emergency Planning
arrangements and logistics aspects of armaments produc-
tion and procurement. It is through such arrangements
that the availability of the necessary installations, storage
and maintenance facilities, transport resources, vehicles,
weapons, ammunition, fuel supplies, and stocks of spare
parts can be coordinated.
Cooperation in these fields is coordinated through the
Senior NATO Logisticians' Conference. A number of pro-
duction and logistics organisations have also been estab-
lished to manage specific aspects of the support needed
by NATO forces on a permanent basis, including the
Central Europe Operating Agency responsible for the
operation and maintenance of the Central Europe Pipe-
line System; and the NATO Maintenance and Supply
Organisation which assists member countries primarily
through the common procurement and supply of spare
parts and the provision of maintenance and repair facili-
ties.
16. ARMAMENTS COOPERATION
Responsibility for equipping and maintaining military
forces rests with the member nations of NATO and in most
spheres research, development and production of equip-
ment are organised by each country in accordance with
its national requirements and its commitments to NATO.
Since the establishment of the Alliance, however, exten-
sive coordination and cooperation in the field of arma-
ments has taken place within NATO. Armaments cooper-
ation remains an important means of achieving the crucial
political, military and resource advantages of collective de-
fence.
NATO armaments cooperation is organised under a Con-
ference of National Armaments Directors which meets
on a regular basis to consider political, economic and
technical aspects of the development and procurement of
equipment for NATO forces. Army, navy and air force
armaments groups, a defence research group and a tri-
service group on communications and electronics, support
the work of the Conference and are responsible to it in
their respective fields. Assistance on industrial matters is
provided by a NATO Industrial Advisory Group which
enables the Conference of National Armaments Directors
to benefit from industry's advice on how to foster
government-to-industry and industry-to-industry cooper-
ation and assists the Conference in exploring opportuni-
ties for international collaboration. Other groups under
the Conference are active in fields such as defence procure-
ment policy and acquisition practices, codification, qual-
ity assurance, test and safety criteria, and materiel stand-
ardization.
Within the above structure project groups, panels, work-
ing and ad hoc groups are established to promote cooper-
ation in specific fields. The overall structure enables
member countries to select the equipment and research
projects in which they wish to participate and facilitates
exchange of information on operational concepts, na-
tional equipment programmes and technical and logistics
matters where cooperation can be of benefit to individual
nations and to NATO as a whole.
17. ARMAMENTS PLANNING
In order to give NATO armaments cooperation a new
impulse, in 1989 the North Atlantic Council approved
the establishment of a Conventional Armaments Planning
System (CAPS). The aims of this system are to provide
guidance to the CNAD and orientation to the nations on
how the military requirements of the Alliance can best be
met by armaments programmes, individually and collec-
tively; to harmonise longer-term defence procurement
plans; and to identify future opportunities for armaments
cooperation on an Alliance-wide basis. The outcome of
this planning process is a series of recommendations
issued every two years. These recommendations, which
are set out in the form of an armaments plan, are designed
to eliminate unnecessary duplication of effort, to provide
a framework for the exchange of information, and to
establish more rational and cost-effective methods of
armaments procurement. NATO's first Conventional Ar-
maments Plan was adopted in December 1991.
18. STANDARDIZATION
Standardization and interoperability between NATO forces
make a vital contribution to the combined operational
effectiveness of the military forces of the Alliance and
enable opportunities to be exploited for making better
use of economic resources. Extensive efforts are therefore
made in many different spheres to improve cooperation
and eliminate duplication in research, development, pro-
duction, procurement and support of defence systems.
NATO Standardization Agreements for procedures
and systems and equipment components, known as
STANAGS, are developed and promulgated by a NATO
Military Agency for Standardization in conjunction with
the Conference of National Armaments Directors and
other authorities concerned.
By formulating, agreeing, implementing and maintain-
ing standards for equipment and procedures used through-
out NATO, a significant contribution is made to the co-
hesion of the Alliance and the effectiveness of its defence
structure. While standardization is of relevance in many
different areas, the principal forum for standardization
policy issues is the NATO Standardization Group, which
acts as a coordinator for the various endeavours and aims
to incorporate standardization as an integral part of
Alliance planning.
