§ 8. Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about 876 the Harmel proposals for closer European co-operation.
§ 16. Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he plans to take on the Belgian initiatives to link Great Britain closer to the countries of the European Economic Community.
§ 48. Mr. Croninasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further action he plans to take to associate Great Britain more closely with the countries of the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. M. StewartFull membership of the Communities remains our aim. Meanwhile, we must make progress towards closer European unity in other ways. M. Harmel's proposals for closer co-operation, particularly in foreign policy and defence, provide for this, and we are considering them in consultation with other European Governments.
§ Mr. MartenDid the Foreign Secretary suggest that Britain and the Five should set up a study group to consider the Harmel proposals, thereby leaving France out of it? If so, is not that a rather divisive procedure from the point of view of European unity?
§ Mr. StewartNo. Sir; we have proposed further study of those proposals, but at the meeting which I had with representatives of the Five countries recently the French also were invited to be present. We have no wish to proceed without them, but we cannot take the view that, if they are not prepared to co-operate, we should do nothing.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasCould not the proposals be discussed at the proposed conference of Heads of Government which the right hon. Gentlemen supported at The Hague? What steps is the right hon. Gentleman taking to bring the conference about?
§ Mr. StewartI would not at present answer the second part of that question. If such a conference were held, these proposals, and, no doubt, other matters, could be discussed.
§ Mr. CroninIn view of France's obvious economic difficulties and the difficulties that the Community's agricultural 877 policy is in, and also the fact that it is clearly desirable that there should be much closer co-operation between the countries of Western Europe and ourselves, is not this a most favourable time to adopt a new initiative and press on with negotiations to enter the Community?
§ Mr. StewartAs I explained, we are engaged in active work on M. Harmel's proposals, with French co-operation if it is available, but are prepared to go on if it is not.
§ Mr. MayhewI congratulate my right hon. Friend on the speech he made at The Hague. Do I understand from his reply that no invitations have gone out for the Foreign Ministers to meet in order to push forward this idea?
§ Mr. StewartNot so far, but the Foreign Ministers met quite recently at the same time as the N.A.T.O. Ministerial meeting.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsIs not the problem here to get outside the veto and the European treaties, and that if we are seeking co-operation with the Five that is not subject to the veto this will have to be in the fields of defence and political consultations? Does the Foreign Secretary agree, and will he say what he is doing about it?
§ Mr. StewartThat is what I said in my first answer.