Office of the Historian

329. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom1

Washington, September 26, 1968, 0126Z.

245249. Subj: UK Accession.

1.
Leddy called in Minister Tompkins of British Embassy September 25 to make following points.
A.
We understand German package for September 27 EC Council meeting contains very vague language on UK membership. Germans, in attempt to respond to French positions, are not dealing squarely with problem of UK accession. German proposal now seems to have Italian, Belgian and Dutch support. Arrangement such as contemplated by Germans would give us trouble as it would be nothing except discriminatory trade arrangement with no clear progress on membership.
B.
Although we have made our position clear to the Germans and others we have thus far not injected ourselves actively into this discussion and thought HMG would agree that this was wise. Our policy not to intervene was based on our understanding that HMG shared our views against a purely commercial arrangement. We would welcome anything Tomkins could do to reassure us that HMG would not be interested in halfway house.
2.
Tompkins replied that HMG has had discussions with Belgians and Dutch who are not enthusiastic about German proposals but want some negotiations to open.
3.
Leddy pointed out there seemed to be possibility of trap if the four go along with German proposal. French may conceivably accept purely commercial arrangement. Such development would face HMG with difficult problem and cause us problems as well.
4.
Tompkins replied as far as he could tell from cables trade agreement by itself unacceptable to HMG. He did indicate, however, that if there were unanimous agreement by Six on offer, HMG would have to look at it. He also said that much may depend on how other two points pertaining to Marechal study on technological cooperation and study on Community enlargement emerged. He thought, however, that these two points would not be of great interest unless UK were involved in the two studies from an early date. His personal view was that trade agreement would be unacceptable unless specific reference was contained to eventual British membership. However he promised seek assurance from London as requested by Leddy that British position has in fact not changed.2
Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, EEC 6 UK. Secret. Drafted by Katz, cleared by BMI and E, and approved by Leddy. Repeated to Bonn, Paris, Luxembourg, The Hague, Rome, and Brussels.↩
  2. On September 28, the Department of State reported further that the British would accept a commercial arrangement with the EC only if the offer were made by all six Community members and if it were clearly linked to full membership. (Telegram 246776 to London; ibid.)↩