Advantages To N.Z. In E.E.C. Mission

Press, Volume C, Issue 29635, 4 October 1961, Page 8

Advantages To N.Z. In E.E.C. Mission

(Special Correspondent N.ZJ’uA.) LONDON, October 3. Emphasising the advantages of Commonwealth countries being directly accredited to the European Economic Community and having a mission permanently in Brussels, “The Times” Brussels correspondent said that, by so doing, each country could ensure receiving all official documents, could hear discussions going on behind policies and, most important, through getting to know Ministers and senior members of the Secretariat, could come to understand at first hand their economic philosophies.

New Zealand is accredited : to the community and its Ambassador is the High Commissioner in Uondon, Mr T. Macdonald. Common Market discussions on New Zealand's behalf are to be conducted iin Brussels when required by I the Commercial Counsellor I ’Mr K. R. Press’, who will have the status of Minister.

“The Times” correspondent said that, of the ambassadors to the community in Brussels, few were more active than those representing Australia and Canada.

"The Commission, one may imagine, is well briefed on the views of Australia and Canada. Their Governments regard it as essential to be represented and their Embassies have been established for nearly two years—only a few months fewer than Britain’s. First Arrival

"The United States was the first to arrive, in 1958. India is proposing to set up an Embassy. The outstanding question at the moment for both Australia and Canada is how to ensure representation of their views during the British negotiations for membership. "It has been asserted that only an Australian can speak for Australia. Until the form of negotiations is settled in detail and it is known how individual questions will be examined, representation is hypothetical. "But both these countries are convinced that they themselves should put their cass on matters affecting their economy. At some stage they must, they believe, join the negotiations,” the correspon dent said.

"In the past, the official attitude to Commonwealth difficulties was that they were a problem for Britain to handle. The community would negotiate with Britain and it would be up to her to look after Commonwealth interests. Over recent weeks, opinion may have , been changing in the Commission "The claims of Commonwealth countries cannot be lightly put to one side, this view would run, and their

interests are properly the concern of the ’Six’ as a whole.

“This may lead to support for direct Commonwealth representation in negotiations before any final decisions are reached."

N.Z. Position Discussing New Zealand’s position, the correspondent said that the idea had been mooted in the past that the answer might be association with-the Common Market. "At first glance, such a solution may seem attractive, but not much is likely to come of it. Officials here see the Common Market as essentially a European club. “Its whole raison d’etre is European solidarity. Admittedly, for historical reasons many African States are likely to be associated, but the line has to be drawn somewhere. The difficulty of carrying out complex decisions which cut across national policies is already immense.

“It may be further complicated by Britain’s membership. But if talk of association for aIT and sundry seems no more than dinner table gossip, close representation to the E.E.C. for third countries may be increasingly valuable.”