Commonwealth Rift Alleged

Press, Volume C, Issue 29669, 13 November 1961, Page 13

Commonwealth Rift Alleged

( N Z-P-A .-Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, Nov. IL The "Dally Express” today warned that a “dangerous breach** was opening between Britain and the Commonwealth over the Common Market issue. "A most disturbing situation arises in the relations between Britain and other senior members of the Commonwealth. “Mr George Drew, Canadian High Commissioner in London, stays away from a conference called by Mr Duncan Sandys to hear a report from Mr Edward Heath on his talks in Brussels on the Common Market,” the newspaper said. Mr Heath, the British Deputy Foreign Minister, yesterday briefed Commonwealth High C. mmissioners on the Brussels meeting on Britain’s application to join the European Common Market

Mr Heath returned by air after attending the two-day meeting at which detailed negotiations began on Britain’s application. “Mr Drew is angry because the Commonwealth has not been properly consulted about the negotiations,” the newspaper said. “The High Commissioners of Australia and New Zealand were also not present at the meeting. They gave polite reasons for their absence. “But the impression must inevitably be that they too are distressed." the "Dally Express** said. In Hallfax, Nova Scotia, the Canadian Prime Minister (Mr Diefenboker) said Britain’s entry into the European Common Market could be accomplished without seriously disrupting the Commonwealth's economy. Each Commonwealth nation had a right to go its own way. he said, but .1

Canada had told Britain it "must not disturb” the economic ties of the Commonwealth. Mr Diefenbaker told the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Association yesterday that if Britain could attain entry and at the same time “protect and preserve within reasonable limits those things which are necessary to Commonwealth trade ties” it would be a service to both Britain and other parts of the Commonwealth, the Canadian Press reported. Speaking in Toronto last night, the Canadian External Affairs Minister (Mr Howard Green) expressed concern that joining the European Common Market might induce Britain to bring her foreign policies to some extent into line with those , of France and West Germany. Mr Green told a meeting of the University of Toronto Progressive Conservative Club: "7be main aim of the

Common Market is not economic but to build up a third world force—in effect a United States of Europa.” Mr James Dillon, Opposition Party leader in thelrish Republic, suggested today that the European Common Market should include the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In a message sent to the annual conference of the Anti-Par-tition of Ireland League in London, Mr Dillon mid:— Union, which Great Britain and Ireland will shortly join, is designed to consolidate and strengthen ths free world for its own protection and for its better equipment to help the new emerging nations of Africa aad Asia. “If this objective is to be realised sooner rather than later, ft must expand to include not only the tree nations of Burope but the United States of America. Canada. Australia, and New Zealand as well*’