II John Moore is showing encouraging signs of flexibility, it
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seems. On his first appearance at a meeting of EEC Transport Ministers in Luxembourg on June 18 he stuck to his brief and refused to agree to an 11.5-tonne drive axle weight, even if Britain — and Ireland — were excluded. This stonewalling infuriated the other Ministers, and contributed to the Dutch president's abrupt decision to suspend the meeting for 10 days until Ministers were in a better temper.
Danish Minister, Arne Melchior, was especially furious. He had been holding out for 11 tonnes, but had put a lot of effort into persuading his reluctant Parliament to agree to move up half a tonne, so long as the operative date was put off until 1992. He was displeased, to say the least, at seeing all this effort wasted, especially as the deal seemed to give Moore all that he wanted.
At the usual informal dinner that night Melchior went for Moore. These dinners are normally relaxed affairs, and Melchior's attack at such a function showed his strong feeling.
Moore was impressed, and on his return to Marsham Street, he demanded to know why he could not accept the deal. Not receiving a satisfactory answer he reversed his position when the Ministers resumed their meeting.
A Minister who responds to reasoned argument? That would be a novelty.