In preparation for the forthcoming meeting of the Council of Western European Union (WEU), the Directorate for Political Affairs in the French Foreign Ministry draws up a note in which it sets out France’s position on disarmament. The ministry outlines the reasons why France did not sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) on 1 July 1968. The country believes that this treaty consolidates the monopolies held by nuclear powers and does not lay the foundations for genuine disarmament. With regard to the negotiations on the limitation of nuclear weapons, the ministry states that they will condemn any nuclear forces currently under creation, without leading to a reduction in existing nuclear arsenals. France is also hostile to the conclusion of agreements on the non-use of nuclear weapons and the creation of denuclearised zones. It believes that such commitments do not include any real guarantees and are therefore unable to ensure security. The only way of reducing the risk is to destroy all nuclear weapons.