France Would Welcome U.K. In E.E.C. Eventually

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30959, 15 January 1966, Page 13

France Would Welcome U.K. In E.E.C. Eventually

(N.Z PA. Reuter—Copyright) PARIS, January 14. France wants the European Common Market to succeed, and would welcome Britain’s eventual membership, the French Prime Minister, Mr Georges Pompidou, said last night.

Talking to journalists at a reception, the Prime Minister said next week’s conference of the six Common Market Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg would deal with political problems.

There would be detailed discussions later on agricultural problems if the Luxembourg meeting was successful, he said.

If agreement was reached in Luxembourg on a common policy for the six Common Market partners, France would welcome British participation. This was not a change inFrance’s policy, Mr Pompidou said. He recalled that General de Gaulle mentioned Britain’s possible membership at his last press conference and also in a television speech during the recent Presidential election campaign.

The Common Market Commission said yesterday it would tackle later this month agricultural questions that were essential to the success of the Kennedy round of trade

negotiations, the “New York Times” news service reported. The commission said through its official spokesman that it expected to shape by early February its proposals for prices for dairy products, beef, sugar and rice. “The commission will be very busy in the coming months within the framework of its competence, the spokesman said. This somewhat unusual statement was authoritatively interpreted as meaning that the nine-man commission was going ahead with its work in spite cf the expiration on January 8 of the members’ four-year terms of office.

“Ready To Negotiate.”— East Germany was ready to negotiate at any time and any place with West Germany on improving relations, Mr Joachim Hermann, the newlyappointed Secretary for allGerman Affairs, said today (East Berlin, Jan. 13.)