ABSTRACT
The Western European Union (WEU) came to represent an expression of a European identity in defence and whilst cooperation with the US offered to fulfil vital objectives, it was recognised that European interests could be at risk of being submerged in a trans-Atlantic structure. Henceforward, the WEU was to be a symbol of Britain's pledge to be engaged in European security and represented an historic change of policy. The prize Britain won in return was the ability to present itself to the US as the saviour of European defence. The military activities of the WEU would continue to be delegated to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). A Council of WEU was created in which all members were given one seat and under the Council an Agency for the Control of Armaments was established. The WEU was a facilitating mechanism to enable NATO to play the leading defence role in Europe.
