§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is satisfied with progress to date in European political co-operation.
§ Mr. HurdBroadly, yes. The Ten are now occasionally able to act together with speed and decisiveness. Their close co-operation at international organisations and conferences has added to their influence. We are, however, continually working for further progress. Members of the Ten need to be more willing to make the necessary efforts to reach a consensus, particularly on matters affecting the vital interests of one or more of them. The range of areas of co-operation among the Ten could also be further extended. We have recently put forward some ideas for greater co-operation between embassies of the Ten in third countries.