At the 281st meeting of the Council of Western European Union (WEU), held at ministerial level on 4 November 1965 in The Hague, the delegations discuss the development of East–West relations. British Foreign Secretary Michael Stewart states that it is difficult to assess the real intentions of the countries of Eastern Europe. With regard to the Soviet Union, he speaks about the USSR’s domestic problems, including economic and agricultural difficulties and the conflict with China. He feels that there is a real desire on the part of the countries of Eastern Europe to enter into talks with the West. But French State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Michel Habib-Deloncle points out that he can see no development in the policy adopted by the countries of Eastern Europe towards Germany. He also emphasises that there has been no progress in the talks on disarmament.