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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, May 30, 1980
Page 10
to be won only at the cost of European political unity. Does that unity
indeed exist now? After Afghanistan one can but wonder."
The acrimony flying across the English Channel reflects the bitter
feelings between the two "worst of friends" inside the EEC. A British
cabinet member labels the French as "bloody and obstructionist," while
at the same time, in Calais, French farmers burn an effigy of Mrs.
Thatcher. And Gaullist leader Jacque Chirac tells the British simply:
"Shut up or get out!"
The British as a whole are downright upset that their taxes are being used
to subsidize inefficient French agriculture and only end up adding to
surplus "butter mountains" and "wine lakes." President Giscard d'Estaing
himself sits on a tight rope: He can't afford to antagonize his own
farmers, but he knows he must bend somewhat so that Britain will not slam
the door on French agricultural imports.
Because of the nearly intractable conflict, President Giscard is already
talking about offering Britain a sort of "half membership" status within
the EEC. Many Britons would go further than that. A recent Daily Mail
poll says that two of every three British voters now want out completely.
And in a recent poll in France, 86% of the French public favored Britain
leaving the market.
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Where Britain would go, of course, is another question. Apparently the
British have not considered the potentially grave consequences behind such
a momentous decision. Britain, for example, ships 43% of its exports to
the EEC. The old Commonwealth offers no panacea: many of the Common
wealth countries have linked up with the EEC too. Not much is left of the
old European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
Mrs. Thatcher believes she still holds enough trump cards to force the
budget game into her hand. But at the same time, she may be unable to
control growing British .public opinion that wants not a new deal with
the EEC--but no deal at all.
For the record: A couple of errors crept into last week's On The World
Scene report. First, considering the 57 electoral districts in Quebec
that have a population of 90% or more French speakers, 45--not 45%--voted
against the referendum (this accurately reflects the magnitude of the "No"
vote.) Second, Canadians are talking about ''renewed federalism" not
"reserved federalism." Sorry for any confusion.
--Gene H. Hogberg, News Bureau