E.E.C. TALKS END INCONCLUSIVELY

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29893, 6 August 1962, Page 9

E.E.C. TALKS END INCONCLUSIVELY

Premiers Will Meet Before Resumption

(A’ Z.P.A-Reuter—Copyright)

BRUSSELS, August 5.

Ministerial talks by Britain and the Six ended after a 14 and a half hour marathon session at 6 a.m. G.M.T. today with a number of outstanding points in terms for Britain’s entry still to be settled. Conference sources said the talks failed to result in agreement on farmprice policy for the enlarged community and financial regulation of the common agricultural policy.

The Belgian Foreign Minister (Mr Spaak) said there had been no general outline agreement for Britain’s entry and the talks would have to be resumed at the end of September or early October.

Mr Spank said, “We continued our work with perseverance and found solutions for the transitional period of the Common Market and for the problem of consultations with the Commonwealth if. following Britain’s entry into the community. Commonwealth farm exports fell.

“We have solved a number of questions and have progressed in our four-day talks. The situation fs really rather delicate but I do not consider there is an impasse.” The talks unexpectedly contradicted last night's confident prediction by Mr Spaak that they would end n avreement about 3 a.m. G.M.T The dramatic talks were full of ups and downs and at some points seemed poised on the brink of an important breakthrough. Diplomatic observers said that as the seven-power negotiations were not due to resume at the earliest before the end of September. Britain would probably be attending the Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ conference opening in London on September 10, without the full outline agreement. The ministerial meeting ended after about nine and a half hours of continuous discussion. Before a 90-minute dinner break yesterday evening the ministers had met for five hours Diplomatic observers said the large number of important elements of agreement reached by the negotiators since the current phase of

talks started on Wednesday included: <ll Ways of associated Brit, ish colonial and dependent territories and independent Commonwealth countries in Africa and the Caribbean with the Common Market if Britain enters it. <2) Methods of seeing that the trade of India, Pakistan, and Ceylon does not come to harm as a result of Britain’s membership of the community <3> Some important points concerning farm exports from Australia. New Zealand. and Canada to the community after Britain joins it. The long hours of arduous and at times tough and dramatic negotiations began to tell on delegates towards the end of the talks Chairman Exhausted The chairman of the conference. Mr Eugene Schaus ‘he Luxembourg Foreign Minister, left for home exhaus’ed as dawn broke. He “■assert the chair to Mr Emilio Colombo, the Italian Indus ‘rv and Trade Minister. Success finally eluded the British ch ; ef negotiator. Mr Edward Heath, at 6 a.m. G M T.. when the weary Ministers rose from the conference room, on the seventh door of the new Belgian Foreign Ministry building. A French spokesman said that, though agreement in principle on the financial "egulations was reached on Thursday, the matter was suddenly reintroduced during ‘he early hours of today by the Six. British delegation sources said British delegates had been confronted at short notice with a draft declara*ion on the financial regulations which the British could not accent immediately without detailed examination Late last night. Mr Heath accepted most of a surprising F’-ench proposal for solving the crucial is»ue of farm prices in the Common Mar-

ket after Britain joins it. according to authoritative sources. However, Mr Heath added that, while the French formula was helpful, it did not fully meet British requirements and further discussion was required A highly-placed Benelux source said that the changes that Mr Heath still wanted in the Six's new proposals on farm price policy were considered to be minor The sources at the negotia-

tions said the acceptance by Mr Heath did not Tnean that the whole vital issue of farmprice policy was resolved On this is=ue hinges the assurances that Britain is seeking from the market for Commonwealth farmers A British delegation spokesman commented on the French formula: “With luck we will agree on it later " Mr Colombo later told reporters: “I think we were able to conclude a basic agreement on the major part of the problems. "I think Britain can cer-

tainiy present a few of the major problems to the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' conference.” he said. According to the British United Press. Mr Colombo said that on the most difficult problem—the export of foodstuffs from temperatezone Commonwealth countries —certain agreements were reached, but the subject as a whole had not ye: been settled The mam stumbling block was the community's future price policy for farming products. on which the two sides came very close together, but not close enough to reach full agreement "We will resume our negotiations in the first few days of October," he said According io tne Associated Press, the Six unanimously rejected the British request to insert into the formula for price policy on farm products a reference to “traditional suppliers," meaning Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The formula agreed upon by the Six said, "the agricultural policy of the enlarged community will tend to offer reasonable opportunities on its market to exporters of foodsluffs of the temperate zone" The British proposed that instead of "exporters of foodstuffs of the temperate zone” it should read “the traditional suppliers of foodstuffs from the temperate zone." The formula continued: “The community relies on it that it will be assured of reciprocity

“In this way the community. in taking the appropriate measures for an increase of its own farmers' income and in assuring the rational development of its agriculture, will make an effort to contribute to the harmonious development of world trade, including a satisfactory level of trade with third nations, including the Commonwealth countries.”