During the meeting of the Council of Western European Union (WEU) held on 24 November 1959, the British representative Sir Anthony Rumbold notes that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is the most important forum in terms of ‘political consultations’ but that this in no way detracts from the value of bilateral discussions, which reflect nations’ individuality. Furthermore, with regard to the ‘political consultations’ held between the Six to establish a joint position at international level, the British Government believes that WEU represents a forum in which such political questions can be discussed with the United Kingdom.