BRITISH plans for a transpor summit meeting of the nin(
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European transport minister! seemed likely to collapse aftel a French snub this week.
The meeting, scheduled lot later this month, was to hay( been an unofficial gathering freed from the rules governing meetings in Brussels, but E French refusal to attend ha: thrown the whole meeting into jeopardy.
Ministers from the nine member countries were invited to attend the meeting by British minister, William Rodgers who wrote to them on January 6.
Now the French have said that they see little point in an unofficial meeting, and arE refusing to attend. Word is still awaited from the German ministry — but they too arc expected to turn down thE invitation.
Word from Brussels is that six of the nine ministers hay( replied accepting Mr Rodgers invitation, but even so, E spokesman for the Depart ment of Transport told CM it was likely that the meeting would be scrapped as a result of the French reply.
France's decision not tc attend the meeting was math on the personal authority of Prime Minister Raymond Barre, who regards the unofficial meeting as "the usual British corner-cutting."
M. Bane wants any discussions on transport to take place within what the French regard as the proper framework of the EEC Commission in Brussels.
The Germans, who see no point in a conference without the French, have suggested that Britain and France get together in Bonn next week, but Mr Rodgers is said to regard the meeting as no substitute for the full summit.
On the agenda for the meeting that might have been was the road versus rail debate and State transport subsidies, as well as the controversial harmonisation regulations on safety and the environment.
It was hoped that the meeting in London would have brought the Common Market home to British operators.
Britain believes that highlevel unofficial talks are needed to find agreement on the major issues, in order to end the bickering and arguing that has dogged many of the Brussels gatherings.