§ Mr. Roperasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the message he has received as President of the Council of Ministers of the European Community from the President of the Executive Committee of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) on co-operation between the two bodies.
§ Mr. JuddOn April 18th the President of the Executive Committee of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance addressed to my right hon. Friend, as President of the EEC Council of Ministers, the response of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance to the Community's communication of 18th November 1976 to the CMEA. The CMEA's response represents a further step in the confidential exchanges between the Community and the CMEA which it is hoped will lead to formal negotiations.