P.M.s’ Meeting Oh E.E.C. Likely

Press, Volume C, Issue 29621, 18 September 1961, Page 11

P.M.s’ Meeting Oh E.E.C. Likely

(A'.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, September 16. It was “very” likely that the Commonwealth Prime Ministers would meet to discuss Britain’s proposed entry into the Common Market, the President of the British Board of Trade (Mr Reginald Maudling) said last night on his return from the Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ meeting at Accra. Mr Maudling said that he was not the least bit surprised by the official communique, issued after the conference, ex* pressing “grave apprehension and concern” at the possible results of Britain’s application to join the Common Market.

Mr Maudling agreed that it would be fair to say that the views expressed at the conference were “the most massive declaration of Commonwealth apprehension on the subject yet expressed." He said the delegates at the conference expressed considerable feeling that there should be a meeting of Commonwealth Prime Ministers to discuss Britain’s possible entry into the Common Market.

He felt these views had strengthened the possibility of such a meeting and said. “I think it very likely there will be one.”

Mr Maudling said he believed the conference would not affect Britain's attitude towards the Common Market. The Government was very well aware of the apprehension felt by Commonwealth countries and was taking full account of this in framing their policy. “I think it will be very difficult to get a satisfactory solution,” Mr Maudling said. Asked if Commonwealth Ministers had expressed the view that Britain was “selling them down the river." Mr Maudling renlied: “I think there was a feeling in some quarters that it was a mistake even to go into negotiations for the Common Market.’’ “Wider Acceptance”

In Accra, the British United Press reported the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr Selwvn Lloyd) said last night that the communique which rounded off the conference reflected wider accordance of British assurances rather than deeoening Commonwealth anxieties on the British move to join the European Common Market. He made the statement at a press conference at the Accra airport. He repeated the United Kingdom Government’s view that until negotiations take place with the six members of the European Common Market, it would be impossible to tell what safeguards could secure Commonwealth interests. The "Guardian” yesterday expressed the belief that the

Commonwealth’s markets were not growing quickly enough to absorb all the goods that Britain must export and that Britain could not provide the growing outlet that Commonwealth producers needed. It said: "The vehemence with which the Commonwealth Finance Ministers at Accra have expressed their opposition to Britain’s entering the Common Market is bound to cause the Government embarrassment. "Nevertheless. the fact that the Commonwealth countries are being strongly critical at this stage does not mean that they will refuse to accept an eventual settlement with the Six. “Both the Canadian and the Australian Governments, for example, have to face General Elections later this year, before the outcome of the Common Market talks will be known, and both are concerned lest the uncertainty about the future structure of the Commonwealth may damage their chances politically ”... There are bound to be changes in relationships within the Commonwealth, and no-one can fortell precisely what these will be. "The fact remains that the economic structure of the Commonwealth is in any case bound to change.” 1716 “Financial Times" commented “The Finance Ministers have no doubt felt obliged to flex their muscles in public as evidence of their

intentions in the battle of interests that is to follow.

"But this may not be quite the whole answer, particularly since New Zealand, whose trade problem is recog. nised to be the most acute, has been the least vocal in Accra. "Concentration on the balance of trading interests has perhaps allowed Britain to under-estimate the value placed by public opinion in the older Commonwealth countries on their non-com-mercial ties with Britain “The fear that ‘the family’ may be broken up. even if sentimental and unreasonable. is nevertheless real, and must be taken into account in assessing the true views of Australia. Canada, and New Zealand,” said the newspaper.