At the 498th meeting of the Council of Western European Union (WEU), held on 17 September 1975, the delegations discuss the draft replies to question 160 put to the WEU Council by Assembly member Mr Krieg. The member had asked if the nuclear forces of two WEU member countries (France and the United Kingdom) would be capable of playing a role in a western defence system based on selective nuclear retaliation. The Council notes that the delegations are finding it hard to reach agreement on a reply. Unlike the Dutch, the French and the British are keen to emphasise the fact that the Ottawa Declaration explicitly recognises the deterrent role of France and the United Kingdom in the overall strengthening of the deterrence of the Atlantic Alliance.