Socialist Plan For Six-Seven Link

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30066, 26 February 1963, Page 13

Socialist Plan For Six-Seven Link

(From Our Own Reporter) BRUSSELS, February 25. Leaders of 13 West European Socialist parties yesterday agreed to aim for a greater Europe which would include the Common Market and European Free Trade Association members. But they decided the moment had not yet come to define ways such a plan should be achieved, a delegation source said.

They came out against any trade war between the Six and the seven E.F.T.A. members, who include Britain. Conference sources said a highlight of the talks was a Belgian call for parallel development of the Common Market and the E.F.T.A.

The Belgians considered the two groups should harmonise their tariff cuts as far as possible, thus leaving the door open for a future merger.

Britain’s "shadow foreign secretary.” Mr Patrick Gordon Walker, told the conference the British Labour Party would be prepared to search for conceivable methods of coming closer to Europe. This included, if necessary, resuming negotiations with the Six.

But before any such resumption the political problem of what kind of European community was wanted would have to be

settled. A link between Britain and the Six should not cut off Britain from the Commonwealth. Mr Gordon Walker was head of the British delegation in the absence of the Labour leader, Mr Harold Wilson, who had to cancel his visit when his plane was delayed at London today. * Conference sources said Mr Walker took the line that President de Gaulle was not solely responsible for failure of Britain's bid to join the Six. He argued that very real difficulties still had to be solved when the talks ended. The next European Socialist meeting (the Bureau of the Socialist International) will be held in London on April 4 and 5. Conference sources said the London meeting would consider whether to undertake a specific study on ways of associating the Common Market and the E.F.T.A.