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Febrúary, L970
analysts or radio commentators have
said (or are saying) we have con–
sistently said that a United States of Eu–
rope is a soon-coming certainty.
Europe right now is in the process of
uniting.
This task of uniting the different na–
tions which make up the crazy-guilt
patchwork we call Europe - is not
easy. European uni ty will not come
overnight. But it is much closer than
most have real ised .
Will such a United States of Eu rope,
ultimately possess ing its own nuclear
weapons, become more powerful than
either the U. S. or Russia? Will this
strong United Europe help to bring
about greater peace and stabi lity in the
world? Or, will it tip the present nu–
clear balance of terror - thereby help–
ing to usher in World War
III?
Vague at The Hague
What did the representatives of the
Six Common Market nations, who met
at The Hague in December, promise
Britain? Were their pronouncements
specific or rather vague?
Britain, and much of the Western
world, had hoped that the Six would
agree on an actual date when Britain
could formally apply for membership in
Europe's rather exclusive Common Mar–
ket club.
The big guestion? W ould France no
longer exercise her veto powcr in the
EEC meetings - no longer block Brit–
ain's entry into the Common Market?
Twice, France in the person of De
Gaulle had blocked British entry ioto
the EEC- in January, 1963, and then
again
111
December, 1967. Would
France again be the stumblingblock to
British entry?
At the recent meetings in The Hague,
the other five Common Market mem–
bers - West Germany, Holland, Bel-
Ambossodor
Collcge
Photo
A huge poster bearing a picture
of Walter Hallstein is held aloft
by demonstrators. Professor Hall–
stein was one of the original
signers of the Treaty of Rome,
and was the first President of the
Common Market Commission.
The
PLAIN TRUTH
gium, Italy and Luxembourg were in
favour of Jetting Bri tain begin negotiat–
ing to enter the Common Market as
soon as possible. Before the meetings
began, Dr. Luns, the Dutch Minister of
Foreign Affairs, told · me he thought
Britain would ultimately make it this
time.
But, as feared by sorne, the French
attitude was still somewhat negative.
She still had her objections to British
entry - at least at this time !
President Pompidou made it dear he '
did not intend to allow the Common
Market even to set a firm date for nego–
tiations on Britisb entry to begin. The
Common Market nations must first
settle the thorny problem of how to
handle its huge agricultura! surpluses.
France was not about to agree to admit–
ting Britain or any nation untiJ she re–
ceived assurances
f
rom her Common
Market partners that French farmers
would be subsidised on into the
indefinite future.
Any French President who didn't
protect the farmers of France could not
be expected to remain long in office.
France's economy is stíll, primarily, ag–
riculturally based; and she feels she
must receive certain protectionist agri–
cultura! guarantees from the members
of the EEC - before she is willing to
continue to walk the path toward Eu–
ropean unity.
Many suspect France is stalling for
time - thinking that Britain will baulk
at the terms of ent rance into the Com–
mon Market - once the highly subsi–
dised agricultura! policy is hammered
out in its final form among the Com–
mon Market countries.
Some even question whether or not
France ever intends to let Britain join
the EEC. These skeptics believe France
fears she would not be able to domínate
the Common Market if Britain were to
join.
Others, however, point out that West
Germany - not France - is the real
economic giant of the Common Market
and will tend to domiuate the EEC in
the future .
What did the EEC really promise
Britain in their final communiqué?
Not much, really, except a rather
vague promise.
25
No firm date has been set at which
the Common Market nations will open
negotiations with Britain, but they have
said they think they will be able to
begin talkiog about negotiations by
abóut 1st July, 1970.
If
Britain is rejected for the
third
time, she may turn away from Continen–
tal Europe for good, and make an effort
to cement her ties more closely with
the United States and the Common–
wealth.
Many believe irreparable damage has
already been done to British trade rela–
tions with the Commonwealth - since
Britain decided to turn away from them
and snuggle
up
more closely to Europe,
hoping, eventnally, to become a full–
Bedged member of the Common Mar–
ket.
So, severa! of the Commonwealth
nations are aJready in the process of
turning their backs on Britain, the
Mother Country, and are seeking closer
trade-ties with other nations.
If
Britain does fail to be admitted
into the EEC, it will be impossible for
her ever to re-cement her ties with the
Commonwealth.
Political Unity- Next
Big
Step
In all of the ballyhoo over whether or
not Britain would be admitted into the
Common Market, many missed one of
the most important points of the Sum–
mit Meeting in The Hague.
Clearly, the members of the Common
Market nations had met to discuss ways
and means of furthering closer unity
among the EEC members in as many
different areas as possible - especially
in the política! sphere.
Already, the Common Market has
knocked clown most of the tariff barriers
between member nations. Furthermore,
the very difficult common agricultura!
policy is in the process of being ham–
mered out.
But, in spite of these important steps,
the member states of the Common Mar–
ket know they wi ll forever remain im–
potent - with no real voice in world
affairs - unless and until they unite po–
litically !
That - believe it or not - is the