Rodgers to tour Europe
Page 6
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TRANSPORT Minister William Rodgers is to go on a tour of European countries for talks with EEC transport ministers following the collapse of the London summit meeting (CM, page 25).
The new follows Mr Rodgers' visit to Bonn this week where he met the West German minister, Herr Schreidler, for private discussions on EEC transport matters.
It is believed that among other topics that were discussed was the West German haulage permits question.
Mr Rodgers had a working lunch with the German minister before a private meeting at which no officials were present. He later said that the meeting was "friendly and terribly helpful". A Department of Transport spokesman told CM that Mr Rodgers was trying to learn as much as possible about the European transport scene. "He was only appointed in September and has attended only one meeting of the council of transport ministers — and whoops he's the president." No one would comment on the possibility of Mr Rodgers meeting the French minister of transport during his talks with EEC counterparts. It was the French refusal to attend the London summit meeting that led to its collapse.
DTp sources said this week that the series of meetings, would be on the basis of getting to know other ministers and their standpoints on issues within the community.