Let me say first how much I welcomed President Mitterrand's initiative. I must thank the Taoiseach for the substantial answer he gave outlining what was discussed. I am glad to see that the question of further participation in various programmes, such as ERASMUS and GATT, were discussed there. Was there any discussion of the question of extending the EC further east at a later stage with a view to bringing the whole of Europe into the Community? Was there mention of how dangerous outside interference in the internal affairs of these countries during the course of the changes which are taking place could be if emphasised? I would like to know also if the question of further disarmament in Europe, under both the NATO and the Warsaw Pact, was touched upon?

The question of the relationship, now and in the future, of Eastern European countries with the Community was, of course discussed. I think I would be right in summarising the views by saying that the general view would be that it is too early to think of anything specific in that regard. As the Deputy knows, the relationship between a third country and the Community can vary from a trade agreement simpliciter to associate membership and, in that connection, the phrase "privileged association" was used, but more in the context of the future than the present.

In regard to the question about intervention by the Community in the affairs of these countries, that can best be met by my saying that the member states were very clearly of the view that all these issues in these countries are a matter for the countries themselves and that would apply particularly to questions about the reunification of Germany where the standard position is that this is primarily a matter for the German people.

On the question of disarmament, there was a clear view at our meeting that any questions of security or anything of that nature should be left to be dealt with in the context of the alliances which exist. In fact, they were not dealt with or discussed at all at our meeting, nor indeed was the question of frontiers and international boundaries. Again the view was that our meeting was not concerned with those issues.

Could the Taoiseach confirm that the view of the member states of the European Community in relation to external interference in the events in any of these Eastern European countries would be very much along the lines that the kind of democratic centralism we saw up to not so long ago is totally inappropriate in those cases and that they would wish to see that ruled out?

Centralism, not democratic centralism. There is a difference between centralism and democratic centralism.