German attitudes toward SNF and their impact on US negotiating positions
This report seeks to explore recent and current German attitudes toward short-range nuclear forces (SNF) and to analyze what impact these attitudes may have on U.S. negotiating positions in bilateral negotiations with the Soviet Union about a treaty concerning the removal of SNF from Europe or their reduction, and the verification of compliance with agreed-on terms of disposition of these systems. The term SNF as understood here connotes surface-to-surface nuclear systems with a range under 500 km. The signing of a treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union calling for the elimination of intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) aggravated long-standing misgivings in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) about SNF. West German public opinion and the FRG government substantially agreed that the removal and destruction of INF discriminated against their country. In the crucial central region of NATO West Germany's territory alone remained in the range of Soviet-based SNF. In order to avoid and to remove the source of this nuclear danger, the FRG government urgently advocated that U.S.-Soviet SNF negotiations be entered into. The United States with strong support from NATO demurred at this initiative and sought instead to strengthen its SNF capability by developing a modernized replacement for aging Lance missiles and upgrading the stock of nuclear artillery shells. American policy in Europe can hardly ignore German political trends, but it does not have to adapt to them. There is sufficient uncertainty about long-term internal developments in Germany to react precipitously to urgent German priorities. American and German interests have not been in harmony over nuclear weapons. In elaborating a viable nuclear policy in Europe that would best serve the interests of the Western alliance as a whole, collaboration among the Western nuclear powers, the United States, Great Britain and France, is likely to yield the most satisfactory results. 8 refs. (JF)
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5779324
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-ID-106981; ON: DE91010676
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Negotiations
& Legislation-- (1987-)
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ARMS CONTROL
ASIA
ATTITUDES
COMPLIANCE
EASTERN EUROPE
EUROPE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
FOREIGN POLICY
FRANCE
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
MISSILES
NATO
NEGOTIATION
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR FORCES
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
PUBLIC OPINION
TREATIES
USA
USSR
VERIFICATION
WEAPONS
WESTERN EUROPE