Little Optimism In British Newspapers

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30043, 30 January 1963, Page 11

Little Optimism In British Newspapers

(N.Z.PJ. .-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, January 29. Messages from Brussels in this morning’s British press about the present significant stage of the negotiations for the proposed British entry into the Common Market were generally devoid of optimism about the chances of success.

The "Daily Herald” saw “just a glimmer of hope.” Its Common Market correspondent wrote:— “After a day of hectic manoeuvres, the opposing forces of the Common Market were still locked in battle over British entry late last night. But the five countries who are backing Britain

claimed they could see a faint softening of the French position.”

The “Daily Mail” pessimistically declared: “Market Hopes Fade as Talks Go On In Secret."

The "Daily Mail” also published an editorial which predicted that Britain would eventually enter Europe. It said: “If we read our countrymen aright they will be saying something like this when Britain is finally bowed off Europe’s front porch: ‘France let us down in 1940, but we won through without her. She has let us down again in 1963. We shall carry on, now as we did then, and we shall come out on top in the end.’ “Exclusion from the market will be a severe setback for our country and a harsh blow at Government policies. “But, in general, our future, like our past, will depend on the way we use our plentiful supply of brains, skill, ingenuity and experience. We must stand on our own feet as we have stood before.

“When the day comes for us to enter Europe—as it surely will—we may be in a much better bargaining position than we are now,” the “Daily Mail” said. The “Daily Worker” said: “Going into the Common Market would be a disaster.” Britain “should make the world her market, help break down the barriers and obstacles which stand in the way of expanding world trade, and expand the home market by in reasing wages and pensions,” it said. In Paris today, “Le Figaro” said that “a dramatic game started yesterday in Brussels ... a dramatic game because the stakes are very high at the same time for General de Gaulle, Chancellor Adenauer, and for the cause of European unification.” The newspaper said that President de Gaulle “is convinced that a united Europe should be strictly Continental, independent from the AngloSaxon and that it cannot admit as a full member an England who is all the less ready

to play this game since she demonstrated in Nassau last month her determination to remain a satellite of the United States.

“For the triumph of this thesis. Genera] de Gaulle will throw in the full weight of his authority and stake his international prestige.” “L'Aurore” reported from Brussels that a compromise was still possible among the Six.

The Gaullist organ, "La Nation," wrote: "The British want a breakdown. Since Sunday they have done everything in Brussels to make as difficult as possible a compromise between the Six on the problems raised b- the Britain-Common Market negotiation and the adjournment proposal . . . “The British, who feel they now have a solid moral position, wish to avoid anything which might diminish the tactical success they think they have won by deeply dividing the Six. Yet there remains some hope that the conunu' ity members will step back from the disaster which threatens them.”