E.E.C. TALKS Menzies, Kennedy Nearer Agreement

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29855, 22 June 1962, Page 11

E.E.C. TALKS Menzies, Kennedy Nearer Agreement

(N.Z PA .-Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, June 21. President Kennedy and the Australian Prime Minister (Mr Menzies) narrowed their Common Market differences in three-day talks, which ended yesterday, and opened the door to a possible mutual approach into the European Community.

Mr Menzies made it clear at a press conference shortly adter leaving President Kennedy’s office that he believed the basis for such a common approach was inherent in their joint agreement to begin a commodity-by-commodity study of items affected by Common Market tariffs.

The President and the Prime Minister, in a joint communique, said that as a result of their discussions they were "encouraged to believe that satisfactory solutions will be found” to the problems faced by their two countries as a result of Britain's proposed Common Market membership. Mr Menzies left by air on his way to Canberra last night. Looking pleased with the results of his extensive talks with the President and top officials, he told reporters that the decision to undertake a commodity-by-com-modity study demonstrated that “we are not just up against a closed door. “But, there is a feeling that if we can get to a discussion of commodities one by one. then it ought to be possible to evolve proposals in regard to commodities, which would be acceptable to the United States, and acceptable to us. and. much more important, of course, acceptable to the Six." he said. The examination of individual commodities will be conducted with United States officials in Washington by the head of the Australian Trade Department (Dr. W. A. Westerman) who has been asked by Mr Menzies to

come to Washington from London Mr Menzies said the 1 commodities would include base metals —particularly lead — wheat, meat and all fruits. He said Britain must not be confronted in her approach to the Common Market with the “singularly naked” dilemma of choosing between Europe and the Commonwealth Grave Dilemma

If Britain’s entry had to be on terms which involved the termination of the present Commonwealth trading pattern by 1970—a condition which he was perfectly certain would be unacceptable to the Commonwealth countries —then Britain would be confronted with that "pretty grave dilemma.” One of his objectives in Washington had been to emphasise the nature of that choice and the necessity to avoid it. He said he had been quite pleased with the understanding he had found for that viewpoint. Coupled with this understanding- was a United States willingness to sit down and discuss, commodity-by-com-modity, the ways and means to preserve the competitive status of Australia and the United S’ates as non-Com-mon Market members. The communique said Mr

Menzies, in his talks, put forward the view that it would be a “grave misfortune” if conditions laid down for Britain’s entry to the European Community were “unacceptable to Commonwealth

countries on the ground that they damaged trade and expansion.” Common Position

American officials said that in the forthcoming talks with Dr. Westerman the aim would be to arrive at a common position on individual commodities ’’so that when we are bargaining with the Common Market, we are not working in opposite directions.”

Such an objective would get away from the past Aus-tralian-American deadlock on the controversial matter of preferences Officials observed that Australia had not abandoned its desire for preferences, but neither had the United States dropped its opposition to them.