1.
GV EEC Building
0.05

2.
CU Commission sign pan to Ortoli
0.11

3.
CU & SV School at desk (2)
0.16

4.
CU Italian Minister
0.22

5.
SCU Ireland Minister
0.27

6.
SCU Jobert
0.32

7.
CU & SV UK Officials (2)
0.38

8.
SCU Belgian Minister
0.43

9.
GV Pan Conference Hall
0.54



Initials SC/316 SC/328



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Foreign Ministers of the nine European Economic Community nations began a two-day meeting on Monday (4 February 1974) in Brussels to prepare a common strategy for next week's conference in Washington of the world's major oil consuming countries. The United States, which called the conference, is reported to see it as a starting point for closer co-operation on energy between itself, the EEC and Japan. The EEC and Japan. The EEC Commission, however, has recommended that the Washington meeting should serve only to review the situation. EEC sources have emphasised the need to avoid giving any impression that the rich oil users are banding together against the producers or against the smaller consumers.

The Nine have agreed to go to Washington, with West German Foreign Minister Walter School, current President of the Council of Ministers, and Commission President Francios-Xavier Ortoli as their spokesman. But no mandate has yet been mapped out for them to negotiate.

In addition to energy policy, the EEC Minsters are also discussing their relations with a number of Mediterranean countries linked to the Community. New trade agreements with these -- Spain, Israel, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco -- are long overdue.

But one subject not to be discussed at the meeting is the regional fund dispute, which has dominated the ministers' last three sessions. This will be tackled again at a separate meeting later this month.