PM Transcripts

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Monday, 3rd July P. M. No. 32/ 1961
COMMON MARKET
Statement by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. R. G. Menzies
Mr. Duncan Sandys, Secretary of State for Commonwealth
Relations, will arrive in Australia from New Zealand on July 6.
The United Kingdom Government has informed the
Australian Government that he would like to discuss with us
various aspects of the European Common Market and the particular
questions which would arise should the United Kingdom seek to
join the Common Market.
These problems have been the subject of occasional
reference over the last two years. We have beon assured of full
consultation before any decisions are taken. But, we have not
had any specific views or proposals put to us. The moeeting with
14r. Sandys will therefore give my colleagues and myself our first
opportunity of hearing the views of the United Kingdom
Government expressed with authority and in reasonable detail.
There have been in the last few weeks meetings between
officials. I suggested these when I was last in London at the
time of the Prime Ministers' Conference. But although there have
been quite a few discussions on the official level, it must be
made clear that the problems have not been solved and that the
outlines of practical proposals have not yct omerged.
It will at once be seen that there are two aspects of
the problem one is economic; the other is political. On the
economic side, we have a large and legitimate interest in
protecting the entry of our goods, particularly our agricultural
products, into the markets of Great Britain. Should Great
Britain obtain entrance to the Common Market without preserving
Commonwealth preferences, the effects upon our trade would be
extremely severe, heth,, r the European nations in the Common
Market would be prepared to admit Great Britain to membership
with reservations preserving her Commonwealth arrangements is an
important question upon which we hope that Mr. Sandys will be
able to throw some light.
The political problems are also extremely important.
The whole Common Market arrangements point in the direction of
closer political association and even unity in Wester'n Europe. A
Great Britain which acquired organic political relationships or
obligations in Europe would I should imagine, find her normal
Commonwealth political relationships profoundly affected. These
are all matters upon which we will be anxious to receive the
carefully analysed views which Mr. Sandys will no doubt be able
to put to us.
CANBERRA 3rd July, 1961.