At the 548th meeting of the Council of Western European Union (WEU), held at ministerial level on 16 May 1979 in Rome, the delegations discuss the development of East–West relations. The French Junior Minister for European Affairs, Pierre Bernard-Reymond, welcomes the good relations between France and the Soviet Union and expresses his support for détente, which must go hand in hand with disarmament. He particularly mentions the successful conclusion of Soviet–American negotiations on limiting strategic arms. But since détente also depends on a balance of strength, France intends to keep up its defence effort for as long as this seems necessary. The Deputy Under-Secretary of State in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir Ewen Fergusson, describes the difficult relations between the USSR and the United Kingdom. He believes that the British Government is generally in favour of détente on condition that it is not a one-way process; it is therefore important to maintain a strong defence capability.