‘U.K. May Be Near To Joining Six’

Press, Volume C, Issue 29517, 19 May 1961, Page 11

‘U.K. May Be Near To Joining Six ’

!N Z. Press Association—Copyright)

LONDON, May 18. The intensive bustle among 1 senior ministers suggested that the moment planned by the British Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) to bid directly for a tie-up with the European Common Market was now near, the “Daily Express” said today.

The newspaper said it was even possible that the Prime Minister would move before the meeting between President Kennedy and General de Gaulle in Paris at the end of this month. He had the opportunity to launch a big personal appeal to the “six” —France. West Germany, Italy, Holland. Belgium and Luxembourg—when he addressed the Western European Union Assembly in London on May 27 He might feel that, if he did so, the President—playing the "middleman” role in Paris—would be in a stronger position to tackle President de Gaulle, who "still doubts if Britain means business," the newspaper said. Ministers Summoned Yesterday, Mr Macmillan had summoned a meeting of 10 Ministers, all concerned with the Common Market problem. The full cabinet was expected to meet today and discuss the issue further. This had come after a speech by the Lord Privy Seal. Mr Edward Heath, in the House of Commons, in which he had devoted 40 minutes to the issue in a foreign affairs debate. Mr Heath had said that talks with the “Six" must be pursued as “vigorously as we can,” the “Daily Express" added. Mr Heath said that the British Government had told the six members of the European Common Market that it saw “no difficulty in principle in the way of discussions between the Six and the Commonwealth countries concerned, about possible

reductions in our preferences as part of a satisfactory overall settlement.” Mr Heath was explaining the Government’s policy in relation to the European Common Market about settling the question of trade preference at present enjoyed by British exports in some Commonwealth countries He was opening a two-day debate on foreign policy. "Important Change” Mr Heath said: “If the Six could meet Britain’s problems over the Commonwealth and domestic agriculture, we could then consider a system based on a common or harmonised tariff on raw materials and manufactured goods imported from countries other than the Six or Seven or the Commonwealth, “This is an important change on our part. It means that over that sector we are accepting a common tariff and the implications of it.” The question of Britain and the European Common Market “was one of the greatest problems which confront our own generation." he said. Britain would have full consultations with Commonwealth Governments before deciding what course to follow The working-out of new relationships with Europe involved major decisions and changes, and Mr Heath believed Britain could still maintain her close connexion with the Commonwealth. This was what Europe now desired. The Labour Party's foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Denis Healey, said the Government should make it clear Britain would consider joining, providing its speoal difficulties were met.