Meeting Minutes, Council of Ministers of the Netherlands, 'Talks Regarding a Multilateral Nuclear Force'

2.Foreign policy

a.Talks regarding a multilateral nuclear force

    (See minutes c[ouncil].[of ]m[inisters]. 7/8 November 1963, point 2 b)

Minister [of Foreign Affairs] Luns proposes that he let the involved governments know that the Dutch government is making preparations for participation in the talks regarding a multilateral nuclear force, on the clear condition that this does not imply that the Netherlands will participate in a future multilateral force. By staying out of the talks, the situation has worsened somewhat, since our connection with the talks in Paris has decreased in value. On a side note, the British government is becoming increasingly reserved toward the question of accession to the MLF.

Minister [of Defense] De Jong agrees with this message, if it is certain that any possible participation in the MLF will not come at the expense of the current defense ceiling or the conventional forces of the Netherlands. Minister [of Finance] Witteveen seconds this reservation. Minister Luns would not regard it as proper if the Dutch government were to be curtailed for the future in this way. The prime minister [Marijnen] proposes to include this position taken by the ministers of defense and finance in the minutes. The council declares itself in agreement with this and accepts the proposal by Minister Luns.