SECRET
Page 324
20
FRANCE AND THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE
SECRET
The Committee considered a memorandum by the Foreign Secretary (OPD(67) 87) on France and the Atlantic Alliance.
THE FOREIGN SECRETARY said there had been signs that France might
decide to withdraw from the Atlantic Alliance, although he now thought
the balance of probability was against her doing so. If she decided to withdraw, France might contract completely out of the Alliance or she might remain a party to the Treaty but no longer take part in the work of the Treaty organisation. French withdrawal would add to the present
strains and weaknesses in the Alliance and would have an unsettling effect,
especially in Germany. Our main aim should be to minimise the effects of any action which France might take. We had had some preliminary
consultation with the Americans and the Germans. But the Germans were
reluctant to take part in any contingency planning. Meanwhile we could
contribute in various ways to the solidarity of the Alliance. We should
look for ways of meeting our foreign exchange problem in Germany without
any further withdrawals of forces; work for positive results to the
current "Harmel Exercise" on the future tasks of the Alliance; respond as
far as possible to the European desire for a stronger voice in the
Alliance; and not condone any action by France which would weaken the
Western European Union. No decisions were required at present. The
moment was not ripe for a British initiative while our application to
join the European Economic Community was still being considered by the
Community. Consideration was however being given to what we might do in
due course to make a positive contribution to the Alliance.
In discussion it was agreed that there should be no immediate
British initiative. There was also general agreement that we should need
to re-examine our European policy in its various aspects in the light
of President de Gaulle's Press conference on 27th November, which had radically altered the situation.
-
In further discussion the following points were made (a) There might be advantage in presenting to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation positive proposals for the Alliance as a counter to the
negative influence of French policy. It was pointed out that studies on
the future of the Alliance were already in hand as part of the "Harmel
Exercise" and that British representatives were playing a full part in
Page 324
-3--
SECRET
Page 324