European Diary, 1977-1981
Page 74
Prime Minister
Joop den Uyl until December 1977, then Andries van Agt
Foreign Minister
Max van der Stoel until December 1977, then Christoph van der Klaauw
UNITED KINGDOM
Head of state
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Prime Minister
James Callaghan until May 1979, then Margaret Thatcher
Foreign Minister
Anthony Crosland until February 1977, then David Owen until May 1979, then Lord Carrington
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Denis Healey until May 1979, then Sir Geoffrey Howe
Agriculture
John Silkin until May 1979, then Peter Walker
The presidency of the Council of Ministers (and hence of the European Council, Committee of Permanent Representatives or Ambassadors, and any other meeting or representatives of Community governments) rotated on a six-monthly basis. During my presidency of the Commission the Council presidencies were as follows:
January-June 1977:
United Kingdom
July-December 1977:
Belgium
January-June 1978:
Denmark
July-December 1978:
Germany
January-June 1979:
France
July-December 1979:
Ireland
January-June 1980:
Italy
July-December 1980:
Luxembourg
Governments of the Applicant Countries
GREECE
Head of state
Konstantinos Tsatsos until May 1980, then Konstantinos Karamanlis
Prime Minister
Konstantinos Karamanlis until May 1980, then George Rallis
Foreign Minister
Dimitrios Bitsios until November 1977, then Panayotis Papaligouras until May 1978, then George Rallis until May 1980, then Konstantinos Mitsotakis
Minister for EEC
Giorgios Koutogeorgis
PORTUGAL
Head of state
General António Eanes
Prime Minister
Mário Soares until August 1978, then Alfredo Nobre da Costa until October 1978, then Carlos Mota Pinto until July 1979, then Maria Pintasilgo until December 1979, then Francisco Sá Carneiro
Foreign Minister
José Medeiros Ferraira until February 1978, Victor Sá Machado until August 1978, then Carlos Correia Gago until October 1978, then João de Freitas-Cruz until December 1979, then Diogo Freitas do Amaral
SPAIN
Head of state
King Juan Carlos
Prime Minister
Adolfo Suárez Gonzales
Foreign Minister
Marcelino Oreja Aguirre until September 1980, then José Pedro Pérez-Llorca
Minister for EEC
Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo y Bustelo until September 1980, then Eduardo Punset Casals
1 Time and Chance (1987), p. 399.
1 George Thomson, b. 1921, cr. Lord Thomson of Monifieth 1977, KT, was a Commissioner 1973–7, having previously occupied three Labour Cabinet offices. Chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority 1981–8.
2 And, as such, the successor at several removes of Jean Jaurès.
3 Dr Hans Kutscher, b. 1911, was a Judge of the German Federal Constitutional Court 1955–70, a Judge of the Court of Justice of the European Communities 1970–6, and its President 1976–80.
4 Anthony Lester, QC, b. 1936, had worked as a special adviser to me in the Home Office, 1974–6.
5 The Council of Ministers is under the Treaty of Rome the legislature of the Community. The Commission proposes, it disposes. As its name implies, it is made up of ministers from all the member states. The Foreign Affairs (or General Affairs) Council, which I always attended, is the central council. But it has subdivided itself into a number of specialized councils of which the Economic and Finance Council (Ecofin) and the Agricultural Council are the most important. The Council of Ministers is not to be confused with the more recently created European Council, made up of heads of government and their Foreign Ministers, which met three times (now twice) a year as opposed to once a month. The presidency of all these councils rotates between member states every six months (see page 673).
6 Anthony Crosland, 1918–77, was British Foreign Secretary from April 1976 until his sudden illness and death in February 1977. As such the six-monthly rotating arrangement made him President of the Council of Ministers from 1 January.
7 Ludwig Fellermaier, b. 1930, was an SPD Deputy for Bavaria 1965–80, and leader of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament 1968–79.
8 Walter (’Fritz’) Mondale, b. 1928, had been Senator for Minnesota for twelve years before becoming Carter’s Vice-President 1977–81. He was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for the presidency in 1984.
9 Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, b. 1926, was President of the French Republic 1974–81, having been Minister of Finance 1962–6 and 1969–74.
10 Abu Daoud, ‘Black September’ terrorist, had been arrested in France in connection with the murder of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972. In spite of extradition demands from the German and Israeli Governments, the French Government, provoking scathing criticism from both the French and foreign press, had released him.
11 Raymond Barre, b. 1924, a Vice-President of the European Commission 1967–73, was Independent UDF Prime Minister of France 1976–81, candidate for President of the Republic 1988.
12 Jacques Tiné, b. 1914, was French Ambassador to NATO, 1975–9. We had known him and his wife, Helena, since 1955.
13 Dr Garret Fitzgerald, b. 1926, son of the first Minister of External Affairs of the Irish Free State, was Irish Foreign Minister 1973–7, and Taoiseach 1981–2 and 1982–7.
14 A little nineteenth-century château in a petit parc about three miles from the Berlaymont which the Belgian Government had given to the Community for entertainment purposes. The Château Ste Anne (20 January) was a subsidiary establishment in the same complex.
15 David Owen, b. 1938, was Minister of State at the Foreign Office until he became Foreign Secretary at the end of February 1977.
16 Karl-i-Bond Nguga, b. 1938, was seven months later arrested and condemned to death by the regime although his sentence was subsequently commuted to life imprisonment by Mobutu.
17 W. T. Rodgers, b. 1928, had become Secretary of State for Transport in 1976, after occupying junior and intermediate posts in the Foreign Office, Treasury and other departments.
18 David Astor, b. 1912, the second son of Waldorf (2nd Viscount) and Nancy Astor, was editor and proprietor of the Observer 1948–75.
19 Jargon of the time for the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC) between nineteen developing countries and seventeen industrial ones which met intermittently between 1975 and 1977.
20 George W. Ball, b. 1909, was US Under-Secretary of State, 1961–6.
21 A detailed written schedule of proposals which has to supplement the Programme speech.
22 Baron Léon Lambert, 1928–87, was President of the Banque Lambert de Bruxelles.
23 Paul-Henri Spaak, 1899–1972, Prime Minister and/or Foreign Minister of Belgium intermittently between 1936 and 1957, and Secretary-General of NATO 1957–61, had three children: Fernand, a senior Commission official; Antoinette, a member of the European Parliament; and Marie, the wife of Sir Michael Palliser (see page 130).
24 Ladbroke Square was where we lived in London until the late summer of 1977 when we moved across the square to a flat in Kensington Park Gardens.
25 ‘Political Cooperation’ between the member states was established outside the Treaty of Rome following the Luxembourg Report of 1970. As its name implies, its object is coordination of foreign policy. Because it is alongside but outside the Community as such it follows somewhat different procedures from the Council of Ministers. The Commission participates but less centrally. Different
officials of member states (the Political Directors) are involved, but the same Foreign Ministers.
26 Hans-Dietrich Genscher, b. 1927, German Free Democratic leader, Minister of the Interior 1969–74, and of Foreign Affairs from 1974.
27 Gaston Thorn, b. 1928, was Foreign Minister of Luxembourg 1969–80, and Prime Minister (as well) 1974–9. He became my successor as President of the European Commission 1981–5.
28 Louis de Guiringaud, 1911–82, was a professional diplomat who was French Foreign Minister 1976–8.
29 Arnaldo Forlani, b. 1925, Italian (Christian Democrat) Foreign Minister 1976–9, Prime Minister 1980–1.
30 Renaat Van Elslande, b. 1916, was Belgian Foreign Minister 1974–7, and Minister of Justice 1977–80.
31 Jack Jones, b. 1913, General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers’ Union 1968–78, then the most powerful British union leader.
32 Douglas Hurd, b. 1930, a Conservative MP since 1974, was then Opposition spokesman on European affairs and since 1986 has been Home Secretary.
33 Sir Donald Maitland, b. 1922, Permanent Representative to the UN 1973–4, to the EC 1975–9 and Permanent Under-Secretary for Energy 1980–2.
34 Klaus von Dohnanyi, b. 1928, German Social Democratic Minister of State responsible for European business 1976–81, Governing Mayor of Hamburg 1981–7.
35 Sir Peter Kirk, 1928–77, was Conservative MP for Gravesend 1955–64, and for Saffron Walden 1965–77. He was a dedicated European of high intellectual quality.
36 Denis Healey, b. 1917, Defence Secretary 1964–70, Chancellor of the Exchequer 1974–9, deputy leader of the Labour Party 1980–3.
37 Hans Apel, b. 1932, German Minister of Finance 1974–8, and of Defence 1978–82, a former Commission official.
38 John Silkin, 1923–87, British Minister of Agriculture 1976–9.
39 Henri Simonet, b. 1931, Belgian (Walloon Socialist) Economics Minister 1972–3, a Vice-President of the European Commission 1973–7, Foreign Minister 1977–80.
40 Prime Minister of Spain since 1983.
41 Renato Ruggiero, b. 1930, Italian Minister of Foreign Trade since 1987, was then head of the ‘Spokesman’s Group’ and subsequently Italian Permanent Representative to the Community and Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry.
42 Lord Duncan-Sandys, 1908–87, as well as being a minister for most of the time between 1941 and 1964, had been an early pillar of the European Movement and was the founder of the Civic Trust in Britain and of the wider Europa Nostra.
43 Amintore Fanfani, b. 1908, was three times Italian Prime Minister 1954–68, and President of the Senate from 1968.
44 Mário Soares, b. 1924, Portuguese Socialist leader, was Foreign Minister 1974–5, Prime Minister 1976–8 and 1983–5, and has been President of Portugal since 1986.
45 Giovanni Marcora, 1922–83, was Italian Minister of Agriculture 1974–80, and of Industry 1981–2.
46 Giulio Andreotti, b. 1919, was Italian Prime Minister 1972–3 and 1976–9, and has been Foreign Minister since 1982.
47 Gaetano Stammati, b. 1908, was Italian Foreign Minister 1976–8, and subsequently Minister of Public Works and Foreign Trade until 1980.
48 Giovanni Leone, b. 1908, was twice briefly Prime Minister in the 1960s and then President of the Italian Republic 1971–8.
49 Sir Eric Roll, b. 1907, was cr. Lord Roll of Ipsden later in 1977. In 1962 he had been one of the ‘flying knights’ who had conducted the negotiations for Britain’s first attempt to join the European Community. Since 1974 Chairman of S. G. Warburg.
50 Jean-François Deniau, b. 1928, French Commissioner 1969–73, French Minister of Overseas Commerce 1977–81.
51 Willy Brandt, b. 1913, having been Federal Chancellor 1969–74, was at this time Chairman of the SPD and President of the Socialist International. Later in 1977 he became Chairman of the international committee which produced the Brandt Report in 1979.
52 Sir Nicholas Henderson, b. 1919, was British Ambassador to Paris 1976–9, having been Ambassador to Warsaw 1970–3 and to Bonn 1973–6. From 1979–82 he was Ambassador in Washington. He has been a friend of mine for fifty years. Mary Henderson is his wife.
53 The Marquis and Marquise Philippe de Ganay were very anglophile (and anglophone) members of the ‘gratin’.
54 Rome for the European Council in March and London for the contentious Summit.
55 Jean Lecanuet, b. 1920, was in 1977 French Minister of Planning and Development, having been a centrist presidential candidate in 1965.
56 The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) had been established in 1975. The Fund was originally all allocated to member countries on a fixed but periodically adjusted quota basis. A small ‘non quota’ section for specific Community projects was established under my presidency.
57 Christian Bonnet, b. 1921, was French Minister of Agriculture 1974–7, and of the Interior 1978–81.
58 Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridge, b. 1907, was Minister for the Arts 1976–9; ‘Frankie’ is Frances Donaldson, his wife and distinguished historical writer.
59 Derek Gladwin, b. 1930, comes from Grimsby (Crosland’s constituency) and is an official of what was then the General and Municipal Workers’ Union.
60 Dick Leonard, b. 1930, Labour MP for Romford 1970–4, and Parliamentary Private Secretary to Crosland 1980–5. Economist correspondent in Brussels.
61 K. B. Andersen, 1914–84, was Danish Foreign Minister 1971–3 and 1975–8, and subsequently President of the Folketing (Parliament).
62 Max van der Stoel, b. 1924, was Dutch Foreign Minister 1973–7 and 1981–2, and Permanent Representative to the UN 1983–6.
63 Vicomte Luc de La Barre de Nanteuil, b. 1925, was French Ambassador in The Hague 1976–7, Permanent Representative to the European Community 1977–81 and 1984–6, and to the UN 1981–4. Since 1986 he has been French Ambassador in London.
64 Willy De Clercq, b. 1927, Belgian Minister of Finance 1973–7 and 1981–5. Member of European Commission 1985–9.
65 Wilhelm Duisenberg, b. 1935, Dutch Minister of Finance 1973–7.
66 The Social Fund, established 1974, can finance 50 per cent of member states’ projects to deal with redundancy, training, resettlement, help for migrant workers etc.
67 I never did.
68 (Sir) Christopher Audland, b. 1926, was deputy Secretary-General of the Commission until he became Director-General for Energy 1981–6.
69 David Marquand, b. 1934, who had been Labour MP for Ashfield 1966–77, came with me to Brussels. Now Professor of Politics and Contemporary History at the University of Salford.
70 Helmut Schmidt, b. 1918, was Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany 1974–82, having been Minister of Defence 1969–72 and Minister of Finance 1972–4.
71 Jacques de Beaumarchais, 1913–79, was French Ambassador in London 1972–7. We had known him and his wife, Marie-Alice, since 1953.
72 See note on page 108.
73 Joop den Uyl, 1919–87, leader of the Dutch Labour Party, was Prime Minister 1973–7, and Minister of Social Affairs and deputy Prime Minister 1981–2.
74 Alfons van der Stee, b. 1928, was Dutch Minister of Agriculture 1973–80, and of Finance 1980–2.
75 Ruud Lubbers, b. 1939, was Minister of Economic Affairs 1973–7, and has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 1982.
76 Gérard Bordu, b. 1928, was a French Communist Deputy for Seine et Marne, Member of the European Parliament 1974–9, and one of its Vice-Presidents 1977–9.
77 Franco Malfatti, b. 1927, was President of the European Commission 1970–2, when he resigned to return to Italian politics; Minister of Finance 1978–9 and of Foreign Affairs 1979–80.
78 Enrico Berlinguer, 1922–84, was the Italian Communist leader, and a dominating although far from extreme figure in Italian political life.
79 Curious, because this was exactly what he was about to do.
80 Liam Cosgrave, b. 1920, Irish Fine Gael Foreign Minister 1954–7, and Prime Minister 197
3–7.
81 Leo Tindemans, b. 1922, Belgian Prime Minister 1974–8 and Foreign Minister since 1981.
82 Anker Jørgensen, b. 1922, Danish Social Democrat Prime Minister 1972–3 and 1975–82.
83 ‘The Common Fund’ referred to an industrialized countries’ impending offer in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (see page 85 infra) to allow virement between the different funds available for Third World commodity stabilization.
84 We had two official cars in Brussels, one English and one German. Equality of numbers was not, alas, matched by equality of performance.