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a

Chiefs of Staff when they directed that "the Staff Officers

attached to British members of the Allied Military Committee

should normally attend meetings of the Joint Planning

Committee when subjects which may subsequently require to be

discussed with the Allies are under review", and the Allied

Military Committee and the Joint Planning Committee should, on

the initiation of either, meet to discuss any points which

appear to require co-ordination or agreement". (Annex,

paragraphs 6 and 8).

12. The fact remains, however, that this procedure has not

worked out in practice and there is undoubtedly room for

improvement. We therefore propose that the Joint Planning

Committee when undertaking the preliminary examination of any

problem likely to involve Inter-Allied Planning at a la ter

stage, should keep the British Military Representatives in

touch with developments. If necessary one or more of the Joint

Planning staff will be made available to assist the British

Military representatives, when the problem comes to be

discussed jointly with the French. As far as can be seen at

present it should be possible to effect this degree of

liaison with the Allied Military Committee if the Joint Planning

Committee is reinforced by the three Staff Officers referred

to in paragraph 2 above. If in practice however it imposes

an undue strain upon the Joint Planning Committee, and retards

progress on long and short term planning, it may well be

Meanwhile the

necessary to call for further reinforcements.

British Military Representatives have agreed that this proposal

will enable them to dispense with two out of their three Staff

Officers, the third being retained by them for routine staff

dutics. Thus, to meet the requirements of both long and short

term planning, tu provide for liaison with the British Military

Representatives, and to reinforce the Joint Planning Secretariat,

a total increase of only two Staff Officers will be required.

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