CONFIDENTIAL
8.
The Mauritian Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Setkom Boolel) asked if the present Government's policy was the same as the last's as regards the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement. Mr. Barber said that as far as the policy of the previous Government was made public concerning the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement, the present Government's policy remained the same, and that their broad approach was the same as the previous Government's.
9. In answer to a question from the High Commissioner for Trinidad and Tobago about a speech by M. Pompidou, Mr. Barber said that there was no point in applying to join the EEC unless one were prepared to say unequivically that one accepted the Treaty of Rome and its objectives and that one was prepared to abide by the decisions which had been taken since the Treaty became operative.
10. The High Commissioner for New Zealand asked whether the four applicants would be conducting their negotiations collectively or individually. Mr. Barber said that we envisaged the negotiations being conducted individually, but broadly speaking in parallel. Our next meeting on 21 July would be a bilateral negotiation with the Six, with Germany in the chair as the spokesman of the Six. Denmark, Norway and the Irish Republic would be starting in September with their first meetings. It was obviously desirable for the applicants to keep in touch, particularly since there were certain aspects of our negotiations which were of great interest to the other applicants. Mr. Barber thought it inconceivable that on any particular matter the United Kingdom and the Six should reach an agreement having a bearing on any of these other countries without that other country knowing about it too.
11. The High Commissioner for Jamaica said that Jamaican and no doubt other - Ministers would want to know as soon as possible the attitude of the new British Government on various points which would arise in the negotiations. Mr. Barber said that Ministers had not yet had time to get down to the detailed problems. While the present Government could not be committed to everything that was said by the previous Government, its approach was very similar to that of the previous Government.
CONFIDENTIAL
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