§ Q2. Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of Her Majesty's Government's decision to apply for membership of the European Economic Community, he will invite the Heads of Government of the European Economic Community member countries to meet with him to consider the scope 1284 for a European nuclear consultative committee to advise on the use and targeting of the British and French nuclear deterrents.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneWould not the Prime Minister agree that some such proposal as this might do something to reestablish the credibility of the Government's approach to Europe? Will he consider discussing this with President de Gaulle when they meet at Rambouillet later this month?
§ The Prime MinisterThere is no lack of credibility about our approach to membership of E.E.C. We believe that co-ordination of such matters as are referred to in the Question, the use and targeting of nuclear weapons, are appropriately matters for N.A.T.O. and that adequate machinery exists for that purpose. New developments in that machinery have clearly got off to a good start. However, having said that, I believe that there is a very great possibility for co-operation between ourselves and the Six and others in Western Europe in the peaceful use of atomic energy and, as I have said many times, for making Euratom much more of a reality.
§ Mr. HeathIs the Prime Minister therefore saying that he refuses to discuss these matters of defence with President de Gaulle at Rambouillet, or wherever it is they are to meet?
§ The Prime MinisterThe talks with President de Gaulle, which will not be at Rambouillet, will range over every aspect of world affairs because, as I said to him at Bonn, in January we inevitably concentrated our discussions on Common Market problems. Obviously, we shall talk about defence and about N.A.T.O. and about all world problems in which we have a common interest. However, as I have made clear before, we do not regard a bilateral military nuclear defence deal as part of, or related to, our application to join the Common Market.
§ Mr. HeathI must press the Prime Minister on this. The President of France at his last Press conference specifically mentioned the question of defence, as between Britain and the Six and France, as one of the matters governing our entry to the Community. 1285 Even though I agree that this was not contained in the report in The Times, it was in the report of the Press conference. Is it not therefore a matter which the Prime Minister has to raise specifically with the President of France in these talks?
§ The Prime MinisterCertainly defence will be discussed. I have made that plain. It is impossible for two important Powers like Britain and France to consider their joint interests in world affairs over the whole world as well as Europe without talking about defence. What I said we should not be discussing in the Common Market context were the proposals, which I think the right hon. Gentleman has cherished, for pooling all the Anglo-French deterrents or any nuclear military deal as part of the application for membership of the Common Market. Defence in its widest sense will be discussed. President de Gaulle was right in what he said in the full report. What happened in defence immediately before Rambouillet had a decisive effect on the right hon. Gentleman's own application.