From Mr Neil R. Balfour Sir: I agree with Conrad
Black (`Britain should request a Nafta invitation from the USA'), and Boris Johnson in the same issue ('Why not have our cake and eat it?'). It would be a triumph for us to be able to have access to both the EU and Nafta mar- kets. But I do not agree that we could (or should) do this as a fully paid-up member of the EU.
Though at heart a confirmed Europhile, I long ago came round to the belief that Britain's interests would be better served by our 'opting in' to EU policies we believe in as an independent country than by 'opt- ing out' of uncomfortably federalist or socialist EU initiatives as a full, though semi-detached, member of the club. Euro- enthusiasm is indeed irreconcilable with British public opinion.
So let's go for Nafta access — but forget any unilateral renegotiation of the Treaty of Rome. Our partners in Europe will never give us the elbow room to negotiate a uniquely advantageous deal with our North American pals while remaining a full member of their union. They actually believe that they collectively gain negotiat- ing strength by outlawing bilateral trade agreements between member states and others.
Is it so unthinkable that we should want to withdraw altogether as a member of the EU? The others could do very well without us; and we would ask for nothing more than equal status in Europe and North America with Israel and Mexico. What could be fairer than that?
The question for Senator Phil Gramm, however, is this: would the US Senate still want to sponsor association status for Britain in Nafta if we no longer sat at the high table in Europe?
If so, let's go for it — but why not have our cake and eat only the bits we like?
Neil Balfour Warsaw
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