HEATH ON E.E.C. Clear benefits wanted

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32562, 23 March 1971, Page 13

HEATH ON E.E.C. Clear benefits wanted

(N .Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) BONN, March 21. The British Prime Minister (Mr Edward Heath) said on Bonn television that there must be very clear benefits for Britain in the European Economic Community or there would be no point in joining it.

“What I’m really concerned about is to reach an agreement which will be seen by the British people, as well as our own Conservative Party, to be tolerable in the burdens which it places upon us in the short term and an advantage to us as a country in the long term,” Mr Heath said in a television interview. The interview was recorded in London last week to coincide with Mr Heath’s projected visit to Bonn for talks with West German leaders—now postponed because of the resignation last night of Major James ChichesterClark, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. “In the long term there must be very clear benefits because otherwise there is ho point in being a member of the Community,” Mr Heath said.

Mr Heath’s warning comes at a time when Common Market negotiations with Britain in Brussels have struck a difficult patch. Major problems of British entry should be solved by July, the Prime Minister said.

He listed these as Britain’s part in the Community finance, Community preferences, arrangements to deal with sugar—which affect the Caribbean and some other developing countries in the Commonwealth —and arrange ments for New Zealand’s special problem, particularly dairy products. “If we can get a solution to these major problems before the summer, then various other tidying up actions could be taken.”

There was no point in placing on Britain burdens which could not be borne because if Britain accepted them and became a member, “then, of course, we should be a burden to the Community as well.”

“If there aren’t going to be benefits, then again, there is no future for the Community. And so I think what we are aiming at is the same thing that the Community is aiming at.” Mr Heath said that he would like to be able to present an acceptable solution to the Tory Party and British trade union conferences in the autumn.