§ Q2. Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister whether he has now made any arrangements to meet the new President of France.
§ Q13. Mr. George Gardinerasked the Prime Minister whether he has yet arranged an official meeting with the President of France.
§ The Prime MinisterAs I told the House on 9th May, I look forward to maintaining close contact with the new President of France, but there are no immediate plans for a meeting.
§ Mr. DalyellWhat approach has been made to the French President on the subject of nuclear testing in the Pacific?
§ The Prime MinisterThe new French President has not yet assumed office nor, indeed, has he appointed his Government. We shall, of course, hope to have very close relationships with him and his Government after he has assumed office and his Government have been appointed. As far as I know there is no declared decision on what the new Government will be. I cannot at the moment say what it would be right to say to a President not yet in office and a Government not yet formed on a matter about which there has been no French announcement.
§ Mr. BodyThe Government have made it plain that they do not regard economic and monetary union as feasible, certainly not until the 1980s, but will the Prime Minister make it clear to the French President that the Government do not regard it as desirable?
§ The Prime MinisterSince the summit conference chaired by the previous President of France there has been a considerable cooling off on this matter on the part of most European nations, mainly on grounds of feasibility. There are some who do not think it is desirable.