Tindemans Report (Hansard, 16 June 1976)

§ 26. Mr. Blaker
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to meet the EEC Foreign Ministers for a discussion about those parts of the Tindemans Report relating to foreign policy.

§ Mr. Crosland
At the Foreign Affairs Council on 29th and 30th June.

§ Mr. Blaker
The Foreign Secretary made it clear that he regarded the concerting of foreign policy as one of the most fruitful lines of development for the Community. That process does not need to wait for joint decisions on the Tindemans Report. Has he had time to give his attention to concerting foreign policy with our partners on matters such as Yugoslavia, Spain and Cyprus, which are so important to the Community?

§ Mr. Crosland
I accept what the hon. Member says. At Luxembourg last Saturday, at one of a series of informal meetings of Foreign Ministers, we had a considerable discussion on the objective of concerting foreign policy. Without going into great detail, I can assure the hon. Member that there was a wide measure of agreement. I told our partners very strongly what I feel very strongly—that 533 the failure of the EEC to concert a common position on UNCTAD was a major setback for the EEC.

§ Sir G. de Freitas
What are the Government doing to prepare for the first six months of next year, when Britain will be in the chair of the European Council and, as a consequence, our diplomats abroad will be called upon to speak collectively for all nine Governments?

§ Mr. Crosland
We are doing an enormous amount of preparatory work, both of a physical character, to decide where all the innumerable meetings should be held, and in terms of contingency planning on policy. A large amount of work is going on, not only in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office but in other Departments, to prepare for next year.

§ 30. Mr. Arnold
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what procedures have been decided upon within the Council of Ministers for handling the Tindemans Report.

§ Mr. Hattersley
Foreign Ministers agreed in May to devote some time at each of their meetings to consideration of the report, chapter by chapter. They are expected to report back to the European Council at the end of November, though they may make an interim report to the July European Council.

§ Mr. Arnold
Will the right hon. Gentleman confirm or deny his own belief in the accuracy of Mr. Tindemans' remarks when he said in his report that public opinion wanted to see results but that he doubted whether there was sufficient will in individual Governments to overcome the practical problems towards encouraging wider European co-operation?

§ Mr. Hattersley
That is a general and almost philosophical supplementary question, which it is literally impossible to answer. However, I shall try to answer it by saying that I am sure the people of the Community want to see some results from the Community. What they want is not some grand declaration of overall constitutional design but to see the Community making sense for them in terms of living standards, the fight against unemployment, and regional policy. It 534 is the attitude of the British Government that the Community should concentrate more and more on that aspect of its work.

§ Mr. Atkinson
Is it the policy of the British Government to encourage further European countries, other than Greece, into full membership of the Community? Is it the fact that the United States Government support that policy?

§ Mr. Hattersley
I have no idea of the attitude that the United States Government take on these matters, not least because they have nothing to do with the Government of the United States. These are matters for the Community and for the treaty provisions governing new members. I am happy to confirm that the Community looks forward to the application by Greece to join the Community. I think that accession negotiations will soon begin. All applications have to be treated on their merits. Some severe rules govern those who may or may not apply. Application is open only to European democracies, but if other democracies wish to enter the Community we shall look upon their application within the terms of the treaty, which provides that they are entitled to apply for membership.

§ Mr. Hurd
In his report Mr. Tindemans laid great stress on the importance of joint foreign policy action by the Community. Will the right hon. Gentleman consider with his colleagues, at the next meeting that he attends, the possibility of an early Community initiative on Cyprus? Would it not be possible to find an experienced European statesman who would go to the various capitals, as the representative of the Community, to bring the principals together over a period of, possibly, six months? Will the right hon. Gentleman try to use the authority of the Community to promote a settlement of this problem before it erupts into a further explosion?

§ Mr. Hattersley
The authority of the Community has been used over the past year to persuade the parties to the inter-communal talks to accept the disciplines and the prospects of those talks ending in success with a good deal more realism than in the past. The Community's coordinated efforts will continue to try to get the talks going in a satisfactory way under the chairmanship of Dr. Waldheim. 535 I personally doubt whether any other Community initiative would be of value. I believe that the future for Cyprus and the exercise of bringing the country back to something like normal conditions must lie with the inter-communal talks. The Community has co-ordinated its policy to make those talks a success.