Diplomat Defends British Policy Towards Europe

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23288, 24 June 1950, Page 5

Diplomat Defends British Policy Towards Europe

(11 a.m.) WASHINGTON, June 23. Britain could only make her full contribution to European recovery and unity as the focus of tnc British Commonwealth, Sir Oliver Franks, the British Ambassador, informed the Senate today.

His (*iews were conveyed to the Senate by Mr, Paul Hoffman, the Economic Co-operation Administrator, who read n letter in which the Ambassadoi replied to criticism of Britain’s policy towards the Schuman coal and steel merger and other European unity schemes. “Just as co-operation with her Western European neighbours and vigorous promotion of unity in Europe is a vital necessity for Britain, so her associations in the Commonwealth and in the Atlantic community are also vital,” said Sir Oliver Franks.

“The foreign policy of Britain rests upon and draws strength from these vital relationships with Europe, the Commonwealth and the Atlantic community. “It is the aim of Britain so to reconcile these relationships that they per-

petually reinforce each other and by their complementary strengths add vigour and resource to the free world.” Dealing with Britain's record of postwar co-opcration with Western Europe ‘Sir Oliver Franks said that Britain had taken the lead in some steps towards economic unity and in matters of defence.

“The Western Union was a British Initiative,” he said. He stated that since the end of the war Britain had contributed in the form of gifts, loans or sales at greatly reduced prices well over £357,142,857 worth of arms and equipment to friendly countries.

Sir Oliver Franks added that Britain's trade with the Marshall Plan countries had risen from £231,000.090 to £448.000,000 between 1947 and 1949.

Sir Oliver Franks’ letter was regarded by some Senators as a satisfactory presentation of the British Government’s viewpoint but "others said they would have liked a clarification of the British Labour Party’s position.