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mendations to the Committee of Ministers, which are then transmitted to member governments if they are unanimously approved by the Committee of Ministers. Recently the Committee has agreed to a modification of the unanimity rule which would allow "partial agreements" between two or more members under certain circumstances.

The most important role of the Council thus far has been to serve as a forum for stimulating action and marshaling public opinion on major European problems.

Relations Between the Council of Europe and Other European Organizations

A protocol to the Schuman Plan treaty establishing the Coal and Steel Community (see page 25) recommends that the delegates of the Community's Assembly be chosen from among the representatives of those countries in the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe. The Community will also submit regular reports on its activities to the Council of Europe. In addition, OEEC and the Council of Europe have also completed an agreement for mutual cooperation. (See Organization for European Economic Cooperation, page 13.)

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Origin and Purpose

THE NORTH ATLANTIC Treaty Organization (NATO) was es

tablished in November 1949 in accordance with provisions of the North Atlantic Treaty, which became effective in August 1949. The main purpose of the treaty is to safeguard peace and security through combined efforts of the member countries to build their capacity to resist armed attack.

The concept of such an organization was first formulated by British Foreign Minister Ernest Bevin in his proposal for a Western Union in January 1948. He stated that in speaking of a Western Union he was "not concerned only with Europe as a geographical conception" but with that Continent's influence, responsibilities, and culture throughout the world. The idea received an immediate and favorable response from Canada and the United States.

In the United States the way was prepared for the negotiation of the North Atlantic Treaty by the Senate's adoption on June 11, 1948, of a resolution proposed by Senator Arthur Vandenberg favoring the development of regional and other collective arrangements for individual and collective selfdefense. The resolution recommended the association of the United States with such arrangements, based "on continuous and effective self-help and mutual aid."

Following the passage of the Vandenberg resolution, discussions were opened in Washington between the United States, Canada, and the Western Union treaty signatories on a treaty of mutual assistance for the North Atlantic area within the framework of article 51 of the U.N. Charter. In addition to these seven powers Norway, Denmark, Italy, Ireland, and Portugal were later included in the formal negotiations leading up to the North Atlantic Treaty. The treaty was signed on April 4, 1949, and went into effect in August 1949.

From the beginning the United States has taken great interest not only in the defense aspects of the treaty but also in the long-term, nonmilitary provisions of NATO, which commit

the member states to strengthen their free institutions, promote conditions of stability and well-being, and encourage economic collaboration. Those provisions demonstrate the conviction that the achievement of real peace goes beyond the mere absence of war.

The North Atlantic Treaty has no time limit, but it provides that after 20 years any nation may withdraw after 1 year's notice. After 10 years the parties may consult together for the purpose of reviewing it.

Organization

The original membership of NATO consisted of 12 countries: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States. On September 20, 1951, NATO recommended that an invitation to sign the treaty be extended to two other countries, Greece and Turkey, and these countries acceded on February 18, 1952.

NATO has gone through several stages of organization, as its activities have passed from a planning to an operational stage. At its meeting in Lisbon, February 1952, the North Atlantic Council agreed upon a general reorganization of NATO which would integrate and streamline its activities. This reorganization of NATO went into effect in April 1952.

The North Atlantic Council, the principal body of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is charged with the responsibility of considering all matters concerning the implementation of the provisions of the treaty. The North Atlantic Council is now in permanent session. Permanent delegates represent the member countries on the Council, although there are occasional Council meetings at which the member countries are represented by Cabinet Ministers. Ambassador William H. Draper, Jr., was appointed as the first U.S. permanent representative. An integral international secretariat, headed by Secretary General Lord George Ismay, provides staff assistance to the Council and its committees. The Secretary General is also the vice chairman of the NATO Council and presides in the absence of the chairman. The chairmanship of the Council is rotated annually among the Foreign Ministers of the member countries.

In addition to its general responsibilities, the Council assumes responsibility for the tasks previously performed by its

subordinate civilian agencies-Financial and Economic Board (FEB) and the Defense Production Board (DPB). FEB was concerned with such matters as defense expenditures, economic and financial resources, and financial arrangements for transferred military equipment, supplies, and production tools. The task of the DPB had been to stimulate the production and facilitate the distribution of military equipment and supplies. Formerly DPB was located in London and FEB in Paris, where the latter could work closely with OEEC. All the NATO civilian bodies are now located in the Paris area. The Council has the authority to set up permanent or temporary committees to assist it in handling the detailed problems arising from its broad responsibilities.

The higher military organization of NATO consists of the Military Committee and two bodies directly responsible to it: the Standing Group and the Military Representatives Committee. The Military Committee consists of the Chiefs of Staff of the NATO members or their representatives. This body meets periodically and is responsible for developing military measures required for the unified defense of the North Atlantic area, providing general policy guidance to the Standing Group, and advising the Council on military matters. The Standing Group, composed of one military representative each of the United States, United Kingdom, and France at the chief-of-staff level, is the executive arm of the Military Committee and is in permanent session in Washington. It is responsible for higher strategic direction throughout the North Atlantic Treaty area and is authorized to issue instructions and guidance on military matters to the various NATO commands. The Military Representatives Committee is also in permanent session in Washington and, when the Military Committee is not in session, acts for that body on certain matters.

Of the two major NATO commands presently in existence, one covers the European area (SACEUR) and the other the Atlantic Ocean area (SACLANT). There is also a regional planning group for Canada and the United States, and the formation of a Channel and Southern North Sea Command was agreed upon at Lisbon in February 1952.

The Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe (SHAPE), is responsible, under the general direction of the Standing Group, for the defense of the allied countries of continental Europe, and the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) would, in case of war, control all land, sea, and air

operations in Europe to this end.

In the SHAPE area there are three subordinate commands: Central Europe, Northern Europe, and Southern Europe. In the first year after the establishment of SACEUR, General Dwight D. Eisenhower was Supreme Commander. He was succeeded on June 1, 1952, by General Matthew B. Ridgway.

On February 6, 1952, Admiral Lynde D. McCormick was appointed as Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic (SACLANT). Under the general direction of the Standing Group, he is responsible for the defense of the Atlantic Ocean area. McCormick's headquarters are at Norfolk, Va.

Admiral

Functions and Powers

The various organs of NATO constitute the machinery through which the member nations may coordinate their political, economic, and military policies for the purpose of developing their individual and collective defensive potential and of "promoting conditions of stability and well-being." To date NATO has given top priority to those functions which bear directly on the development of the collective defensive strength of the member countries.

None of the bodies of NATO has the power to make decisions binding on member countries. For purposes of collective defense the members have agreed that an armed attack against one member shall be considered an attack against them all. The treaty provides that, in the event of an armed attack upon a member, each member shall take, either individually or in concert, such action as it deems necessary to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area. The NATO countries have also agreed to develop their capacity to resist armed attack by means of continuous self-help and mutual aid.

Relations Between NATO and European
Organizations

Since the establishment of SHAPE the military functions of the Western Union have been merged with those of NATO. The purpose of this merger was to avoid duplication, since all five members of the Western Union are included in NATO.

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