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18 September 1962: “Grave Doubts about Usefulness of the Plan”

Another BERCON meeting was planned for 19 September 1962. This document outlines the instructions given to the Canadian Delegation to NATO, with Under-Secretary Norman Robertson’s signature of approval. The Canadians are not up to date on the status of Berlin planning and Ignatieff is, therefore, instructed to give “fairly general remarks.” The main issues for the Canadians continue to be the relationship between Tripartite and NATO planning, the plan for “selected use of nuclear weapons,” and the issuing of alerts. They “have grave doubts about the usefulness of such a plan and would wish to have this question fully discussed in Council.”

 

External Affairs to NATO Paris, ‘Berlin Contingency Planning,’’ 18 Sept. 1962, LAC, RG 25, vol. 6080, file no. 50341-A-2-40, part 1.

18 September 1962: “Grave Doubts about Usefulness of the Plan”