Macmillan Favours Individual Talks

Press, Volume C, Issue 29530, 3 June 1961, Page 15

Macmillan Favours Individual Talks

(N.Z P.A -Reuter —Copyright> LONDON, June 1. The British Prime Minister* (Mr Macmillan) made it clear today that he favoured separate consultation with individual countries rather than a special Commonwealth conference on Commonwealth trade with Europe.

This was because they varied so much in their major interests, he told the House of Commons. Mr John Biggs-Davison, a Conservative, had urged a special conference to work out the conditions under which all Common wealth countries could be closely associated with those of Europe. Consideration Mr Macmillan told the House that he did not think it was Parliament’s general view that Britain should sign the Rome Common Market treaty "on the dotted line.” Very careful consideration was needed as to how it would affect Britain. Commonwealth countries and Britain’s partners in the European Free Trade Association before embarking upon legal negotiations, he said. Mr Biggs-Davison said Commonwealth partnership was based on sovereignty. Unthinkable In view of this would the Prime Minister agree that it would be unthinkable for Britain to be merged in a federal union, which would “split the Commonwealth and frustrate the larger association between the greater Europe and an expanding Com mo n wea Ith ’ ’' Mr Macmillan replied that all treaties involved some derogation of sovereignty. Later, Mr Macmillan, answering further questions, made it clear he favoured

separate consultation with Individual Commonwealth countries rather than a special Commonwealth conference on Commonwealth trade with Europe. Mr Biggs-Devlson asked if the “grave anxieties" in New Zealand. Canada and the Afro-Asian Commonwealth were not well founded. Expansion Expansion of population and markets in the Commonwealth would be far greater than those of Europe. It was insufficient for the Givernment to seek to negotiate to maintain current levels of Commonwealth exports to Britain and Europe The Government should rather seek to make good the “years of neglect" of Commonwealth trade, and revise the 30-year-old eroded system of Commonwealth trade preference. and then come to new mutually advantageous terms in Europe.