Australian Embassy, Brussels, 13 March 1962
Confidential
I am sending to you with this letter a copy of a message from Mr Menzies to Mr Macmillan1 which has just been delivered in London, and also a copy of an aide–memoire which has been presented in similar terms today to each of the Six by the Australian Embassies in the various capitals.2 The Australian Embassy in Brussels has now sent a copy of the latter to each of the Delegations of the Six in Brussels.
Looking over the various aides–memoire which we have presented previously in support of our request for some form of direct participation in the Brussels negotiations, it occurs to me that there may still be some uncertainty as to the practical details of the arrangements we have in mind. If I were to be asked to elaborate on the way we would expect our participation to operate, I would make the following points.
I would say that we are seeking to speak directly through our own representatives only when matters of particular concern to Australia are being discussed. We see our role as being that of an expert witness, able to state, on invitation, the nature of our problems and the possible effects on Australia of the various proposals under discussion. We see our participation in this role as being a practical one and likely to be most useful at the Working Party or Committee stage but, conceivably, on occasions it could be desirable for our representatives to be invited to follow major points through to the level of Deputies’ meetings.
We are not in any sense making a claim to be recognised as a full participant in the negotiations as a whole. We understand that the occasions when matters of concern to us will be under discussion will be limited. What we seek is that from time to time, at the initiative of either yourselves or the Six, or perhaps of the Chairmen of Working Parties etc., we would receive an invitation to be present to discuss or give our views on a particular matter. An arrangement of this kind need not be rigidly defined. Once the principle was sufficiently clearly established, the question of the occasions and timing of our participation could be left on an ad hoc and informal basis to the Committee concerned.
We have noted the main doubts which the proposal you have made on our behalf has raised. Although there seems to be considerable sympathy for our case, the main difficulty appears to be a fear in some quarters that acceptance of our request would lead to an embarrassing number of similar requests, which would lead to undue complication of the negotiations.
I would think that this fear about numbers is over-drawn. Very few Commonwealth countries share Australia’s main commodity interests. The under-developed Commonwealth countries have special problems which appear certain to be given special attention in connection with the Rome Treaty provisions on overseas countries and territories, or on the wider multilateral plane, for example through the current efforts on low-cost textiles and tropical produce. I would think that for most of the particular commodities of interest to the older Commonwealth countries, it will be found that only one or two Commonwealth countries have a major interest. Only Australia has requested participation and, in any event, there would not appear to be the likelihood of an unmanageable situation.
Since it must be admitted that Commonwealth countries have a special interest in these negotiations not shared by non-Commonwealth countries, I would not expect that the granting of our request need lead to participation of non–Commonwealth countries.
As far as the fear that our participation would unduly complicate the negotiations is concerned, I would not expect there to be difficulties on this score. I believe we have always been reasonable and constructive in our approach to your negotiations with the Six. I would not expect the presentation of our views on particular matters to be time-consuming. Their form and duration would be clearly under the control of the Working Party or Committee. We would expect to be constructive in the search for solutions to problems of importance to Australia which would best meet the needs of all parties. To the extent that your representatives were able to consult us in advance about the pertinent issues on which we would be invited to present our views, drawing on our specialised experience in commodity problems, I am sure you would find us very ready to adhere to the team spirit which Mr Sandys so clearly outlined in what he said in Canberra last year on this subject.
I am confident that with your backing the evident goodwill towards our request in many quarters can be converted, in a practical way, into continuing arrangements which would enable us to play a role in these negotiations consistent with their profound implications not only for the economic future of Australia but also for the trade of the Common Market countries.
1 Document 168.
2 See NAA: A1838, 727/4/2 part 2, aide–memoire to the heads of government of the Six from the Australian Prime Minister, 13 March 1962.
[UKNA: DO 159/57]