Canberra, 10 July 1961
Secret
Without memorandum: United Kingdom and European Economic Community consultations: Draft Communique
1. The Cabinet considered the draft communique put forward by Mr Sandys as an alternative to the Australian draft communique.1
2. It took the view that although Mr Sandys had indicated that he would work from the Australian draft, he had in fact discarded the Australian approach and reverted to an approach of his own, resembling the forms of the New Zealand communique.
3. The Cabinet decided that its response to Mr Sandys should be that although we would be willing to consider changes in wording in order to remove any sharpness or generally to assist the tone, we would not be willing to sacrifice the meaning of the vital parts of the Australian draft and, in particular, paragraphs 4 and 7.2
4. The Cabinet also felt that it may be necessary for Mr Sandys to understand that the possibility of failure to agree on a communique could exist.
1 Final communique is Document 150.
2 Paragraphs 5 and 10 of the final communique, Document 150.
[NAA: A4940, C3369 PART 1]