On 19 September 1973, the French delegation to the Council of Western European Union (WEU) proposes amendments to the draft reply (WPM(73)24) to Recommendation 238 of the WEU Assembly on European security — relations with the countries of Eastern Europe. The French emphasise that détente between East and West, which has become a reality since the opening of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), requires the maintenance of an adequate defence capability. They stress Europe’s contribution to Western defence and mention the Standing Armaments Committee (SAC), the European Defence Improvement Programme (EDIP) and the Standing Naval Force Channel in connection with the Eurogroup. On the matter of the negotiations on mutual and balanced force reductions (MBFR) in Europe, the French delegation notes that the aim of these negotiations is to secure, step by step, practical arrangements which ensure undiminished security in central Europe at a lower level of forces. Precautions must be taken, however, to ensure that the special status of the zone to which the resolutions apply does not foreshadow the establishment of a neutral zone. As regards the SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) negotiations, the French delegation emphasises that the WEU Member States are informed of the progress of the negotiations by the United States in the North Atlantic Council. The WEU Member States are therefore able to ensure that these discussions do not jeopardise their security or their interests.