§ Mr. Partridgeasked the Lord Privy Seal whether any decision has been reached by the Council of the Western European Union in respect of the limits on the size of warships built in the Federal Republic of Germany.
§ Mr. HeathOn 24th May the Council of Western European Union adopted an amendment to Annex III of Protocol No. III of the Revised Brussels Treaty which will permit the Federal Republic of Germany to manufacture eight destroyers of up to six thousand tons displacement to be equipped with tactical missiles for sea combat, and also auxiliary ships of the same tonnage. The Council also approved an amendment to the same Annex removing the prohibition on the manufacture by the Federal Republic of influence mines. SACEUR has given his prior recommendation to both these amendments, which come into immediate effect. The full texts will be published in the Treaty Series and presented to Parliament in the usual way.
These amendments have been approved under the terms of Article II of Protocol No. III of the Revised Brussels Treaty. This provides that the Treaty restrictions on the manufacture of armaments by the Federal Republic 26W (except for those relating to atomic, biological or chemical weapons) may be amended by a resolution of the Council of Western European Union passed by a two-thirds majority, if the competent Supreme Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation recommends such amendment in accordance with the needs of the armed forces.
The restrictions in the Revised Brussels Treaty on German armaments manufacture (other than the manufacture of atomic, biological and chemical weapons) tare not immutable: they have been revised from time to time to meet the defence needs of the North Atlantic Alliance, and in the light of development in the design of modern weapons. The need to do this was foreseen at the time of the Paris Agreements which made the Federal Republic a free and independent member of the Western alliance; and the revised Brussels Treaty incorporates a specific procedure for this purpose. Her Majesty's Government support the amendments which have just entered into force, which will enable the Federal Republic to meet agreed North Atlantic Treaty Organisation planning requirements, and contribute more effectively to Western naval defence. All operational ships of the Federal German navy are committed to the North Atlantic-Treaty Organisation.