Internal note from the FCO concerning the WEU Assembly Report on SALT III and the British and French nuclear forces (London, 23 October 1980)

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On 21 October 1980, the Defence Department in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) issues an internal note in which it summarises a telephone conversation between Joep Mommersteeg, former Dutch State Secretary for Defence and Member of the Western European Union (WEU) Assembly, and Douglas Hurd, British Minister for Europe. Joep Mommersteeg wants to discuss some aspects of his report drafted on behalf of the WEU Assembly on SALT III and the British and French nuclear forces. The discussion with Douglas Hurd focuses on the UK’s interest in increasing cooperation with France on defence matters and on the level of independence of Britain’s nuclear deterrent. Hurd underlines that the British nuclear weapons targeting policy is based on the criteria outlined by SACEUR, but that the United Kingdom did retain the right to use the weapons unilaterally in a supreme national emergency. Regarding cooperation with France, the Prime Minister’s recent message to French President Giscard d’Estaing signals his general interest in defence cooperation.

Quelle und Copyright

Quelle: The National Archives of the UK (TNA). Foreign Office, Western Department and Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Western European Department: Registered Files (R and WR Series). WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION. Western European Union Assembly recommendation 360: Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty (SALT) and the British and French nuclear forces. 01/01/1981-31/12/1981, FCO 33/5237 (Former Reference Dep: WRU 83/1).

Copyright: (c) The National Archives of the United Kingdom

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