FRENCH PLAN REJECTED

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29061, 25 November 1959, Page 17

FRENCH PLAN REJECTED

“Little Europe” Secretariat iN.Z Press Associatton—Copynghti (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) STRASBOURG, Nov. 24. The six “little Europe” Foreign Ministers will meet today to examine proposals for speeding up the abolition of tariffs and quotas in the European Common Market, and to tackle other problems facing the six-nation community. Yesterday the Ministers—from France, West Germany, Italy, Holland, Belgium and Luxembourgrejected a French plan for a sixnation political secretariat with headquarters in Paris. Observers regarded this decision as a serious diplomatic setback for France—dnd indirectly as a victory for Britain, which is knoWn to have opposed the plan as a bloc-building attempt. Opposition to the French plan was spearheaded by Holland, whose political leaders openly expressed fears that a “Frenchled European super-foreign office” would provoke a rift between Britain and the Continent and threaten the interests of the smaller Common Market countries.

After their morning meeting today, the Foreign Ministers will meet for a joint discussion with the European Parliamentary Assembly, the governing body of the six-nation European community. The Asembly is debating reports which suggest that African countries should be encouraged to unite economically as European countries are doing.