The meetings of the Council of Western European Union (WEU), held in London on 15 and 16 March 1966, are chaired by British Foreign Secretary Michael Stewart. Before discussing East–West relations, the chairman raises the question of the situation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), particularly in view of France’s decision to withdraw from NATO’s command structure. Michael Stewart believes that this decision calls into question France’s commitments under the modified Brussels Treaty and expresses doubts as to the legality of the French decision, which undermines the very basis of NATO’s existence. Jean de Broglie, French State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, reassures those present that France remains committed to the European integration process and that it wishes to change the NATO of 1949, which it believes is no longer in line with current realities.