Discussion On Associates

Press, Volume C, Issue 29681, 27 November 1961, Page 15

Discussion On Associates

Sources close to the negotiations said in Brussels today tiiat Britain and the six Common Market nations have had “a very general discussion” on which Commonwealth countries might eventually become associates of the market. No specific list of Commonwealth candidates has been submitted. But a list of Commonwealth countries and their economic and commercial characteristics has been circulated to the delegations of the Six for their information. Official sources said this list was prepared to show to the Six the type of problem facing each Commonwealth country if Britain should join the Common Market, and should not be regarded as a list of candidates for association. Usually reliable circles in Brussels say Britain has from

■ the start favoured discuss- ■ ing the Commonwealth prob- : lems as a whole. Observers i believe Britain is trying to I draw out the Six into stating ■ their attitude and possible t objections to the association > of certain Commonwealth countries, rather than to • embark on a “product-by- > product” discussion. t It is said that on Friday > an official of the Common 1 Market’s Executive Commiss Sion explained the present : association convention be- • tween the market and overseas states, most of which s are African. Market deler gates are believed to have ■ pointed out that all these ■ countries have undeveloped i economies. i According to some confer- ! ence sources, current feeling • among the market nations is that association might be a i suitable solution for the > problems of African and cer-

tain other undeveloped Commonwealth members, but not for the more developed members such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The sources added, however, that the Six had certainly not taken a definite stand on this issue. They described the atmosphere of the negotiations at this early stage as one of sounding out rather than opposing positions.

A Benelux delegation source said yesterday: “It is far too early to talk about anybody’s stand on the question of association. At this stage only generalities are involved, and if cases of particular Commonwealth countries are mentioned, the time has not yet come to take any decisions on them.” The Vice-President of the European Economic Com-, munity, Senator Giuseppe Caron, said in Milan last night that all efforts should be made so that links with the Commonwealth should not be affected by negotiations for Britain’s entry into the Common Market

Addressing a businessmen’s gathering. Senator Caron emphasised the importance of th e Commonwealth for the Common Market countries and underlined the importance which Britain’s eventual entry would have for the market. “We are well aware what the presence of the Commonwealth signifies for the free world,” he said. Senator Caron said, however, that the Common Market Commission as the guardian of the treaty had also another main duty. He said this duty was “not to affect the live substance and the aims of the Common Market which has demonstrated in these four years that it is a live and vital force which must not be weakened in any way." The London “Daily Telegraph” said Britain had asked the Six to give almost all Commonwealth countries and about 50 British dependent territories an opportunity of becoming associates of the Common Market. Their goods would thus enter the market duty free, the “Daily Telegraph” said. Delegates to the Common Market talks had expressed surprise at “the magnitude of the British proposal.”