At the 276th meeting of the Council of Western European Union (WEU), held at ministerial level on 29 and 30 June 1965 in Luxembourg, the delegations discuss East–West relations, particularly the situation in the countries of Eastern Europe. British Foreign Secretary Michael Stewart and his French counterpart Michel Habib-Deloncle discuss the deterioration in relations with the Soviet Union after Nikita Khrushchev’s fall from power and offer a detailed analysis of the USSR’s position in the Vietnam conflict, for which they believe that a conference with the powers concerned should be convened as a matter of urgency. The French representative also emphasises the positive development in Soviet relations with the Third World, particularly with Algeria and the United Arab Republic. With regard to disarmament and European security, the hardening of the USSR’s attitude to the West is making progress in these areas difficult. But the Western countries should take advantage of the fact that some communist countries in Eastern Europe are seeking independence and establish bilateral relations with these countries.