}
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7. GOLDSMITH ALSO PRESSED THE POINT IN PARAGRAPH 4(1) OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE. TRAN REPLIED THAT THE WORKING GROUP'S REPORT REPRESENTED A COMPROMISE, WHICH WAS, BY DEFINITION, NOT COMPLETELY SATISFACTORY TO ANY MEMBER STATE. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO RE-OPEN THIS ISSUE WITHOUT JEOPARDISING THE DELICATE BALANCE OF THIS COMPROMISE.
8. SUMMING UP ROBINET (BELGIAN PRESIDENCY) OBSERVED THAT 8 DELEGATIONS COULD AGREE, IF WITHOUT ENTHUSIASM, TO THE COMPROMISE EMBODIED IN S/1509. HE DESCRIBED THE COMPROMISE AS A ''FRAGILE MONUMENT*' WHICH COULD ALL TOO EASILY CRUMBLE IF ATTEMPTS WERE MADE AT THIS LATE STAGE TO IMPROVE VARIOUS PARTS OF IT FROM A PARTICULAR NATIONAL POINT OF VIEW. GIVEN THE PRESENCE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN BRUSSELS OF THE NEGOTIATING PARTNERS, AND GIVEN THE MANDATE FROM THE COUNCIL TO BE IN A POSITION TO OPEN NEGOTIATLONS ON
10 OCTOBER, HE COULD NOT SEE WHAT MORE COULD BE DONE. HE URGED THE
UK DELEGATION TO CONSULT THEIR AUTHORITIES URGENTLY IN THE HOPE OF BEING ABLE TO BREAK THE DEADLOCK. TRAN ADDED THAT THE UK SHOULD
BEAR IN MIND THAT THE ARTICLE 113 COMMITTEE WAS AVAILABLE CONSTANTLY TO ADVISE THE COMMISSION IN ITS NEGOTIATIONS. HE ASSURED
THE UK THAT ITS INTERESTS WOULD BE PROPERLY PROTECTED. IN THE
MEANTIME HE HAD NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO OPEN UNOFFICIAL AND
EXPLORATORY TALKS ON TUESDAY, STARTING WITH HONG KONG,
9 AFTER CONSULTING FRANKLIN (CABINET OFFICE) BY TELEPHONE GOLDSMITH CONFIRMED THAT THE UK WAS UNABLE TO CHANGE ITS POSITION TODAY. ETIENNE (COMMISSION) INTERVENED TO SAY THAT HE HAD BEEN IN TOUCH WITH COMMISSIONER DAVIGNON. THE COMMISSION WERE PERSUADED THAT THE ASSURANCES THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN IN THE WORKING GROUP, AND BY TRAN AT THIS MEETING OF COREPER, SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO REASSURE THE UK THAT ITS INTERESTS WERE BEING SAFEGUARDED. DAVIGNON WAS PREPARING TO SEND A MESSAGE TONIGHT TO MR DELL WHICH NOULD RE-AFFIRM THESE ASSURANCES AT THE POLITICAL LEVEL: THE COMMISSION COULD NOT DO MORE WITHOUT BREACHING THE TREATIES (TEXT IN MY FIRST IFT).
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