On 4 February 1960, the ministers in the Council of Western European Union (WEU) meet to discuss the political dimension of WEU’s activities. The British Foreign Secretary John Selwyn Lloyd raises questions on subjects including the future of WEU’s role and relations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). He emphasises that NATO is the appropriate forum for taking decisions on common action and that WEU’s political role should be limited to discussing questions of mutual interest. He sees WEU as a sort of ‘cement’ designed to prevent any divisions occurring between its Member States. French Ambassador Chauvel then reaffirms that his country will continue to pursue a twofold aim — the establishment of a European customs union and European security — with WEU playing a role in strengthening European solidarity.