TNAG-0281-FCO40-317-Visit-of-the-Chancellor-of-the-Duchy-of-Lancaster-to-Hong-Ko-1970 — Page 142

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

W(B)L 51-7406

and prosperity by eliminating whole barriers,

and def

and defending the collective interests by

acting in common.

5. Australia is a long way from Europe

but her origins and culture are profoundly

European never more so than today when

her identity is more distinct and her

culture more distinctive than ever before.

The essence of European culture is surely

variety and originality flowing from common

sources. Australia has, like Europe, a

great and indispensible friend in the

United States of America and other good and

valuable friends throughout the world. But

it would surely not be in Australia's

long term political, military, economic or

cultural interest to see Europe, including

Britain, decline into a collection of

impotent, if reasonably prosperous, museum/

tourist countries. The European Communities

are determined to avoid this if they possibly

can. They will develop and grow in coherence

whether Britain joins them or not, but if

Britain and the other applicants join them,

then Europe has a far greater chance of

greatness, of contributing beneficially

to the world at large, including Australia and

the Pacifier

6.

Britain sees the European option not

as a rejection of other friendships and

loyalties but as an opportunity for European

ww

- 3 -