NATO PARLIAMENTARIANS SEEK STRENGTHENED TIES WITH NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP70B00338R000300200059-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 22, 2006
• Sequence Number: 59
• Publication Date: January 19, 1968
• Content Type: IR

Approvec.For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP70B00338R000300200059-9 State Dept. review completed 11h16_5(
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
WRECTOR OF iNTELLiGENCE AND RESEARCH
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INR - Thomas L. Hughes 1(
Subject: NATO Parliamentarians Seek Strengthened
Ties With North Atlantic Council
01 I4i1 l 1' et/I1.{/t 1) /
REU-3; January 19, 1968
The long-standing question of enhancing the powers of the North Atlantic
Assembly or at least of promoting closer cooperation between it and the North
Atlantic Council was again a topic of discussion at the annual meeting of the
parliamentarians from NATO countries in November 1967 and at the December
ministerial session of the Council. This report examines the background and
current status of proposals affecting the role of the Assembly.
ABSTRACT
The North Atlantic Assembly, formerly known as the NATO Parliamentarians
Conference, continues to seek internal. organizational improvements and a
strengthened role in relationship to NATO, but it now appears to view with
less urgency than in 1966 proposals for a completely regenerated body with
significantly enhanced powers.
Delegations of parliamentarians from NATO countries have met annually
since 1955 as a self-constituted organization to promote the solidarity of the
Alliance. While a close working relatio-iahip has developed between the parlia-
mentary group and NATO organs, there is no official tie linking them. Proposals
for formalizing the relationship and changing the status of the body of parlia-
mentarians to that of a consultative assembly for NATO have been put forward
almost from the beginning of the parliamentary conferences. The most recent of
these proposals, which is still under forna]. consideration, was given initial
approval by the parliamentarians in November 1966 in the aftermath of the
"France-NATO crisis" and was then referred to the North Atlantic Council (NAC)
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