TNAG-0045-FCO40-81-Britain-s-entry-into-EEC-effect-on-trade-with-Hong-Kong-1967 — Page 144

7.

is simply to give your Government a first-hand account of

developments.

They are already being kept closely informed

but I want to explain personally how we in London see these

recent developments.

40 I hope, then, that I have made it absolutely clear that

there is no parallel between my present visit and those of

British Ministers in 1961.

5. You might like a fuller account of what has been happening.

Briefly, in a statement in the House of Commons on

10 November, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government's

policy as stated in the Queen's Speech on 21 April, i.e. that

we were ready to join the Community provided that essential

British and Commonwealth interests were safeguarded. Mr. Wilson

explained that, following a period of initial probing, the

Government had conducted a deep and searching review of the

whole problem of Britain's relations with the Community and had

decided that a new high-level approach should be made.

Mr. Wilson announced that, following a meeting with E.F.T.A.

Heads of Governments, he and the Foreign Secretary proposed

to visit the E.E.C. capitals for discussions with Heads of

Government of the Six to see whether it appeared likely that

essential British and Commonwealth interests could be

safeguarded in any negotiation for Britain's entry into the

Community He said that the Government would decide in the

light of these high-level exploratory talks whether or not to

activate the arrangements for negotiations and what the timing

should be. He made it clear that we intended to maintain the

closest degree of consultation throughout with cur Commonweal th

and E.F.T.A. partners.

6.

•

The first of the visits was to Rome on 16 and 17 January

The Prime Minister and the, Foreign Secretary saw President de Gaulle

in Paris on 24 and 25 January and have since visited

Brussels and Bonn.

by early in March.

All the visits will have been completed

17.