CONFIDENTIAL
3.
Signor Malfatti agreed.
He hoped it would
be possible to establish and maintain a rapid rythm and to get down at an early stage to the negotiation of the major problems. The Commission had adhered to the timetable set for commenting upon our papers, so that certainly no criticism for any lack of progress could be laid at their door. They were axious that the negotiations should be conducted as efficiently as possible. In answer to a question from Mr. Rippon about his views on the problems that might be dealt with before the end of the year, or the timetable of meetings, Signor Malfatti said that the calendar was being discussed by the Deputies and he preferred not to comment. As a personal observation, he would however say that the British delegation had covered a wide field in its presentation of the issues to far. He appeared to suggest that in our paper on the financial consequences of accepting the Community's financial regulations we had not stressed the most important arguments or at least did not appear to regard it as the most important question.
4.
Mr. Rippon said that Community financing was indeed the most important subject, together with New Zealand dairy products and Commonwealth sugar. The question of a transitional period was also of great importance. We had accepted the Community Agricultural Policy and we did not dispute the system, but we were looking to the establishment of a Community of Ten. We should in any case provide a large market for the agricultural produce of the Six, and we did not think it was right that we should have to pay too much for the privilege of
-2- CONFIDENTIAL
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