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                                ON THE RECORD 
                            ELMAR BROK INTERVIEW
 
RECORDED FROM TRANSMISSION BBC-1                                  DATE: 13.3.94 
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JOHN HUMPHRYS:                         But first, from Beelefeld in Germany, 
Elmar Brok, who is also a member of the European Parliament and the Chairman 
of the Christian Democrat's Foreign Affairs Committee. 
 
                                       Mr Brok, if the other four countries, if 
we want to have the other four countries in, can we do so if Britain insists on 
its present position? 
 
ELMAR BROK:                           I cannot see that there will be a 
majority or even the possibility to get the majority for the enlargement if we 
stick to the twenty three votes mechanism.  We have always said and it's a 
majority European Parliament which has to ratify the enlargement, but in the 
vast majority of member countries that we have to see widening and deepening 
together and if we do not change the voting mechanism towards twenty seven then 
we go back before the single act.  Mrs Thatcher has made possible that we have 
not a veto principle any more in the single act but if we stick now to the 
mechanism from the single act with four more member countries, and perhaps in 
some years even more countries, then we have in fact more or less back to the 
veto right.  And therefore I think British Government should overthink its 
position that it should not go back into a voting mechanism the time before the 
single act, before it was changed by the help of Mrs Thatcher. 
 
HUMPHRYS:                              So effectively we are bound by an 
existing treaty on this, as far as you are concerned? 
 
BROK:                                  We are bound by a treaty.  We have to 
change that but it's absolutely clear that the twenty three votes were the 
right thing for twelve member countries.  But if we are sixteen countries then 
it will be very difficult to have a real possibility for decisions, the 
possibility that the community can act if we do not change that. 
 
HUMPHRYS:                              Can you see any room for compromise 
here?  Can you understand Britain's position? 
 
BROK:                                  I can understand that position but if I 
may say so the British Government says at the moment that they want not to 
weaken the British position, what they try to do now is to strengthen British 
position or German position ... 
 
HUMPHRYS:                              And that's unacceptable to you? 
 
BROK:                                  I think we should stick to the same 
regulation as we have it now.  Twenty three with twelve member countries is the 
same as twenty seven with sixteen member countries.  Therefore, it's in reality 
no change. 
 
HUMPHRYS:                              And no room for compromise as far as you 
are concerned? 
 
BROK:                                  I see no possibility. 
 
HUMPHRYS:                              Okay Mr Brok.  Thank you very much 
indeed. 
 
BROK:                                  Thank you.