Europe: Once More to Market?

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Red & Green. The economic sticking point is still Britain's cosseted agricultural structure. But Wilson seems privately resigned, as the Tories were not in 1961 and 1962, to the fact that Britain will probably have to accept the existing club rules as the price of admission. For the Europeans, even the West Germans and Dutch, who most desire Britain's partnership in the EEC, still have lingering doubts about London's commitment to the European ideal of unity. And there is always the giant question mark of Charles de Gaulle, who said non once before and could do it again. So Wilson is probing carefully and cautiously, and this time actual negotiations are not likely to begin until all the major issues have been quietly settled in advance—probably late this year or early next. As one British diplomat put it last week: "We're not going in until we get the green light and a red carpet."