THE SECRETARY OF STATE 
WASHINGTON 


MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT 
Subject: 	Reaffirmation of NATO at Time of Non-proliferation Treaty Signing 
Recommendation: 
That you approve the enclosed scenario for use in responding to a Gen11an request for reaffirmation of United States commitments to the North Atlantic Treaty at the time of signing the Non-proliferation Treaty. 
Disapprove ____
Approve 
I . 
Discussion: 
In their consideration of the Non-proliferation Treaty, the Germans have seen a possible risk to their security from the fact that the Treaty, as drafted, could outlast the North Atlantic Treaty. They fear that this might some day deprive them of the United States nuclear guarantee at a time when they would not be able to develop effective alternate means of deterring a nuclear attack. Some months ago, they suggested that you deal with this problem by making an appropriate statement of United States comn1itment to the defense of Europe, when the Non-proliferation Treaty is opened 
for signature. 
In a letter of March 30, Under Secretary Rostow pro­posed in return that the United States reaffirm its commit­ment to the North Atlantic Treaty at time of signing. He also proposed that those NATO members wishing to do so could make
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clear that their adherence to the Non-proliferation Treaty under current world conditions was made possible by their confidence in the North Atlantic Treaty. Our thinking was that these 
-SECRET­

latter statements 
Council forum. 
(enclosed) which 
which this proposal 

We have now 
Germans and 
concur, this 
your willingness 
the United States 
reaffirmation of the 
States under 
would envisage language 
lines: 

I wish to fully committed to fulfilling its obligations under existing treaties of mutual security. Such arrange­ments have provided a significant measure of security for the United States and other parties to these treaties. They have created a degree of stability in an ofte.n unstable world. n 
A statement of this kind on your part would be useful in gaining German adherence to the Non-proliferation Treaty. It would also reassure our other allies in Europe and elsewhere that the Treaty in no way affects our existing security arrangements. 
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Enclosures: 
1. 

2. 

3.