Result Pleases French

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29894, 7 August 1962, Page 15

Result Pleases French

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) PARIS, Aug. 6. French Government officials in Paris said yesterday that the negotiations in Brussels on British membership of the European Common Market achieved good work. the British United Press reported. They said that the British Government was n w in a relatively strong position 'o face the Commonwealth Prime Ministers when they meet in September in spite of the fact that the Brussels talks produced no agreement on Commonwealth exports of temperate-zone foodstuffs. A F"ench official said that the absence of a written agreement was not grounds for considering the Brussels meeting a failure. He said that progress had been made on several points but because there was no final text. Britain could tell •h,e Commonwealth in September that she was not vet committed to the Common Market. He said all those who took part in the Brussels meeting were now aware of what the basis of a future agreement on Bri'ish membership could be “Time To Choose” A news commentator on the French State Radio said 'oday that the position -eached in Brussels proved •hat the t : me had come tor •he British Government 'o accomplish an “act of faith” —in other wo-ds. to choose between the Commonwealth and Europe. • The commentator said Mr Heath “now knows the limits of the concessions the Six would agree to." The commentator said it was too early to talk about failure of Britain’s entry to io : n the market. The negotiators, he said, had "stumbled" ova- the key Question of providing farm nroriuce fom the white Commonwealth with a privileged ma-ket inside the community Aowding to th* corresnnndent. postponement of Britain's negotiations has been -chieved in accordance with the expectations of French officie' s . who have b*en talking freely for some davs about the talks orobablv re-qu:-ing “another two years " The radio comment is taken in Paris as a elear indication

that the French Government will not modify its attitude between now and the resumption of talks in two months. A Reuter commentator said he had learned from good authori'y that Genera! de Gaulle's original instructions to the French delegation contained three points which had not been changed since. These were: (1) Remember Britain is the applicant, '2> Remember Britain cannot expect to enjoy a special position inside the Common Market different from the other members <3l Remember that periods of adaptation to the Common Market rules must be no longer for Britain than those provided by the Rome Treaty, which set up the community. The French attitude may be described as “the treaty, the whole treaty and nothing but the treaty." The Rome Treaty does not provide for protecting agricultural producers ou'.side the Common Market area. This, he French maintain, must remain equally true after Britain joins the Common Market. Food Supplies One of the attractions for .he French of Britain joining the Common Market is the prospect of France becoming the supplier of the United Kingdom’s necessary' food mports. For France now to be a iked by the British negotiators to share this position with the white Commonwealth robs the prospect of British membership of some of its attractions According to a Reuter cor--espondent in Bonn, there was disappointment there at the inconclusive outcome of the talks, but optimism that agreement would eventually be reached. “It is to be hoped that the momentum that had been attained in these talks will be regained at the autumn meeting.” one Governmen’ official said "West German support for Britain's entry 'an be e-occted to.continue" The New Zealand Press Associations special correspondent in Brussels writes that a few weeks ago the editor of a Paris ncwspapei said to him: "When we wanted the help of the British during the 1950's to get the Common Market going they remained aloof.

They said they didn’t want to commit themselves. Now they see the European Economic Community is a success and they want to come in Well, they come in on otf terms.”

These remarks seemed significant during the protracted negotiations in Brussels in the last few days Whenever there have been delays, whenever there have been differences among the Six. whenever the British hsve come up against a brick wall it has invariably been the French who were the cause: it has been remarked they are the most un-ttnder-standin.g of all the Six of Britain's difficulties