THE FOREIGN MINISTERS IN CONFERENCE.




Initials RM/V/CR/OS



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Background: FRANCE AND WEST GERMANY TODAY (FRIDAY) FELL OUT OVER BRITISH ENTRY INTO THE EUROPEAN COMMON MARKET IN WHAT IS REGARDED IN BRUSSELS AS ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST RIFTS SINCE THEY SIGNED THEIR TREATY OF FRIENDSHIP IN 1963. WEST GERMANY INTRODUCED A NEW PLAN AT A COMMON MARKET FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING IN BRUSSELS TO BRING BRITAIN CLOSER TO THE COMMON MARKET PENDING FULL MEMBERSHIP -- BUT FRANCE VETOED IT.

THE WEST GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, HERR WILLY BRANDT, SUGGESTED "INTERMEDIARY MEASURES WITH A VIEW TO MEMBERSHIP" FOR BRITAIN AND THE OTHER CANDIDATES, DENMARK, NORWAY AND IRELAND. HOWEVER, THE FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER, M. MICHEL DEBRE, IS REPORTED TO HAVE REAFFIRMED FRANCE'S OPPOSITION TO EARLY BRITISH MEMBERSHIP, DECLARING: "THE FUNDAMENTAL POSITION HAS NOT CHANGED."
FRANCE'S COMMON MARKET PARTNERS NOW PLAN TO CONCENTRATE THEIR EFFORTS ON LINKS WITH BRITAIN OUTSIDE THE COMMON MARKET FRAMEWORK ALONG THE LINES OF PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD BY BELGIUM, THE NETHERLANDS AND LUXEMBOURG FOR SCIENTIFIC, TECHNOLOGICAL, POLITICAL AND DEFENCE CO-OPERATION.