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005746
MDHAN 3965
FORMATIONS. THIS IS INCREASINGLY HAPPENING IN NATO, AND IS THE RIGHT PATTERN FOR THE WEU. THE UK HAVE LONG SUSTAINED WITH THE NETHERLANDS
A JOINT AMPHIBIOUS FORCE: FRANCE AND GERMANY HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING A JOINT LAND FORCE UNIT. NATO IS DEVELOPING MULTINATIONAL REACTION FORCES WITH BRITAIN, THE NETHERLANDS, GERMANY AND BELGIUM AS PARTICIPANTS IN A MULTI-NATIONAL DIVISION.
PARTNERS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO CONTRIBUTE ACCORDING TO THEIR CAPABILITIES SEMI CLN SOME HAVE PARTICULAR EXPERTISE IN DEPLOYING
FORCES OUTSIDE EUROPE SEMI CLN LET THEM WORK TOGETHER. SOME HAVE PARTICULAR NAVAL CAPABILITIES SEMI CLN SOME HAVE MORE PLENTIFUL INFANTRY AND LIGHTER FORCES SUITED TO HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING TASKS. THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A NEED FOR ROTATION OF SOME RESPONSIBILITIES (FOR EXAMPLE, FOUR COUNTRIES MIGHT TAKE ON PART OF A PEACEKEEPING FORCE CONTRIBUTION FOR SIX MONTHS EVERY TWO YEARS). SOME ALLIES HAVE CONSTRAINTS, WHICH WE UNDERSTAND, ON THEIR PARTICIPATION IN OPERATIONS OUTSIDE THE NATO AREA. A FLEXIBLE APPROACH MAKING MAXIMUM USE OF EXISTING ASSETS, WILL BE THE MOST PRACTICAL WAY OF PROCEEDING.
FOR REAL WORK TO BEGIN IT IS IMPORTANT FOR WEU COUNTRIES TO IDENTIFY THE RANGE OF ASSETS WE CAN EACH CONTRIBUTE ON WHICH THE PLANNERS IN THE WEU WILL THEN BE ABLE TO DRAW IN DEFINING FORCES APPROPRIATE TO PARTICULAR CONTINGENCIES. I HOPE THAT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, ALL PARTNERS WILL DECLARE A NUMBER OF THEIR UNITS AVAILABLE TO THE WEU.
THE APPROACH WHICH THE UK ADVOCATES IS TO SUSTAIN THE CLEAR ASSIGNMENT OF ALLIES FORCES TO NATO WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDING AN ABILITY TO EMPLOY THEM FOR WEU PURPOSES WHEN THAT SEEMS NECESSARY. A DECISION TO DO SO WOULD REQUIRE PRIOR CONSULTATION WITHIN NATO, OF COURSE. BUT I AM SURE THAT WE CAN DEVISE A MECHANISM FOR QUOTE DOUBLE-HATTING UNQUOTE OUR FORCES SO THAT THEY CAN BE USED FOR WEU PURPOSES WHEN THEY ARE NOT SIMULTANEOUSLY REQUIRED FOR THEIR NATO ASSIGNMENTS. WE THEREBY GREATLY STRENGTHEN OUR ABILITY TO
RESPOND TO SECURITY PROBLEMS BUT WITHOUT DUPLICATING FORCE STRUCTURES WHICH WOULD BE POLITICALLY DANGEROUS, UNAFFORDABLE AND MAKE NO MILITARY SENSE.
IN A CONFLICT OR CRISIS WITHIN EUROPE, DECISIONS ON THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE WILL OF COURSE BE TAKEN IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL. NATO WOULD DEAL WITH THREATS TO ALLIANCE TERRITORY DIRECTLY, USING THE COMMAND STRUCTURES SET UP UNDER SACEUR AND THE FORCES ASSIGNED TO HIM BY THE NATIONS. HOWEVER, IT IS CONCEIVABLE THAT SOME
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