Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-06
Hopesvoiced
Despite Sndg
On Trade Pact
Deadlock Delays
Brituin's Joining
Common Market

British newspapers tried today
to salvage some hope out of
the deadlock over Britain's en-
try into the European Common
contending the two
delay in negotiations
might have some advantages.
The papers said yesterdays
breakdown in the seven-nation
Brussels talks would delay but
not necessarily doom Britain's
chances of joining the pros
porous European Economic
Community.
The talks were recessed
until October after France re-
portedly held out against Brit
aims demands for tariff free
admission of farm exports from
Canada. Australia and New
Zealand should Britain become
a partner in the trade alliance.
Time for Examination
The Guardian acknowledged
that the delay leSsened hope Of
eventual agreement on Britain's
entry into the economic COM
with France, Italy,
West Germany, The Neither
lands. Belgium and Luxem-
bourg.
But it will also give time
for the public to look at the
issues again and to examine the
agreement, so far as it exists, -
the Guardian said.
The Laborite Daily Herald
said the delay was embarras-
sing for Prime Minister Mac
Millan's government, but "a
political muddle is still a long
way from a breakdown"
The Times said postpone
ment was Disappointing but
better than some verbal COM
promise which the two sides
would interpret differently"
France Is Blamed
The Conservative Daily Mail
blamed France for disrupting
the timetable. 1T looks as
though they deliberately put
forward something unaccept-
able" it said.
Lord Priyy Seal Edward
Heath, who represented Britain
at the Brussels talks, reported
to Mr.. Macmillan after telling
newSmen, I'VE have covered
as much ground as possible"
Mr.. Heath insisted there had
been broad agreement lover
fields in Commonwealth
affairs" But another confer
ence delegate, Dutch Economic
Minister Jan de Pous, said the
deadlock would make Britain's
entry into the market impoSsi-
BILE before 1864. This was a
hard political blow to Mr.. Mac
milan. who must schedule a
general election by the fall of
1864 at the latest and who
hoped that by then British
participation in the Common
Market would be boosting the
British economy.
The key problem facing the
negotiators is recognition of
continued imports of low
priced products from the Com
monwealth with continued
markets for high-priced prod
ucts, particularly from France.
Concessions Rejected
Conference sources in Brus-
sells said the talks broke down
after France rejected any con-
cessions in food prices for the
Commonwealth n a tions who
are Britain's traditional food
Britain's parliament is not
TO approve British
entry into the Common Mar
ket unless assured adequate
safeguards for commonwealth
farm exports.
Britain also was opposed in
it's demand for consultations in
case of "a sudden and substan-
tial decline" in agricultural ex-
ports to the enlarged Common
Market. Other delegates ar
gued that the markets price
policy system would not work
if decisions on price levels had
to depend on consultations
with a third country.
Another unsolved problem
was a list Of commodities i'm
portant to the commonwealth
for which Britain has asked
duty-free entry into the en-