§ Q5. Mr. Hefferasked the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit General de Gaulle to discuss Anglo-French relations and mutual problems; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterNone at present, Sir.
§ Mr. HefferIs it not clear to my right hon. Friend that a number of very serious misunderstandings have arisen between this country and France? Is it not also clear that the time has come to eliminate those misunderstandings and help towards getting a united Europe, which could be arranged if we had an understanding with France?
§ The Prime MinisterThe aim of a united Europe which my hon. Friend, I, and most of us in this House are anxious to see created, of course depends on French acceptance of the ideas we have put forward. These have been very clearly put forward and I do not think there is any misunderstanding, although in the last month the understanding has been only too painfully clear.
§ Mr. RidleyDoes the Prime Minister agree that it appears that we shall have to do a deal with the French if we are ever to get Europe united? Would it not be wise for him to find out what is involved and what the French conditions are?
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary dealt with 1756 this at some length on Monday and he had to tell the House, as I did on Tuesday, that there is no clarity at all on what the arrangements mentioned in the Franco-German Declaration mean or whether they have any interest for us. I think the first step is that mentioned by my right hon. Friend on Monday. For this we must await the meetings which are going on, I think, today, between the Foreign Ministers of the Six.
§ Mr. HenigIn view of the fact that the major obstacles to the achievement of the Government's European policy are the differences between this country and France, would it not be better for my right hon. Friend to engage in talks with the French Government rather than to spend time in a mutual admiration society which will achieve nothing with the Benelux countries?
§ The Prime MinisterWe are, of course, dealing with the Six as a whole and the Benelux countries are three of the Six members. It is important, having accepted the Benelux proposals that we should do all in our power to see that further progress is made. So far as the French are concerned, I had very detailed discussions with President de Gaulle more than once last year—my right hon. Friend was with me on the first occasion—and I do not think anyone would believe it is easy to convert the President from a deeply held position about the entry of Britain to the Common Market. If I thought it was I would have no hesitation in establishing further discussions.
§ Mr. HeathWill the Prime Minister agree that while admission to the Community is denied to us there is no reason why we should not discuss individual arrangements either with individual nations in so far as they are responsible or with the community as a whole in the same way as we do with any other country affecting trade and so on?
§ The Prime MinisterYes. These are going on and it is one of the key proposals of the Benelux formulation as the Leader of the Opposition will know. As I indicated on Tuesday, our new proposals in regard to technology which we have been working out will envisage this on a bilateral as well as a multilateral basis.