The document was titled “A new era for nuclear deterrence? Modernisation, arms control and allied nuclear forces”. It was first published in April and written by a Canadian senator for the Defense and Security Committee of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. The document, which has now been deleted, seems to confirm long-held suspicions that US nuclear weapons are being stored in Europe.
The document referred to the sites of roughly 150 American nuclear weapons.
Locations in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey were identified.
The report was seen by Belgian newspaper De Morgen, which said: “These bombs are stored at six US and European bases — Kleine Brogel in Belgium, Büchel in Germany, Aviano and Ghedi-Torre in Italy, Volkel in The Netherlands, and Incirlik in Turkey.”
The document did not attribute this information to any source.
In the final version of the document, published last week, the reference was removed.
The latest version of the report instead makes reference to aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
The report says: “The European Allies often cited as operating such aircraft are Belgium, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, and Turkey.”
A Nato official told The Washington Post the report was “not an official Nato document” and pointed out that it was written by the alliance’s parliamentary assembly.
The official added: “We do not comment on the details of Nato’s nuclear posture.”
While the storage of US nuclear weapons has long been suspected, many are viewing this as confirmation.
De Morgen’s report was headlined: “Finally in black and white: There are American nuclear weapons in Belgium.”
And Dutch broadcaster RTL News said: “NATO reveals the Netherlands’ worst-kept secret.”
Kingston Reif, director for disarmament and threat-reduction policy at the Arms Control Association, said the presence of US nuclear weapons in Europe was “no surprise”.
He added: “This has long been fairly open knowledge.”
The presence of the weapons resulted from an agreement reached in the 1960s and is thought to be a relic of the Cold War era.
But in recent years, fears have grown over whether parts of the continent, such as Turkey, are the best place to store them in the wake of terrorist extremism in the region.