§ 24. Mr. Norman Atkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any consideration has been given to the possibility and the strategy of a localised nuclear war confined to Europe in discussions with representatives of the Pentagon and Supreme Headquarters Allied Command Europe.
§ Mr. BlakerNo. NATO's primary aim is to prevent war by the strategy of deterrence. For deterrence to be effective a potential aggressor must be persuaded that if subjected to attack NATO would be willing to use its weapons, conventional or nuclear, but we have no plans to fight a limited nuclear war in Europe or anywhere else. In such a war there could be no winners.