On 19 February 1969, the French Foreign Ministry circulates a memorandum containing various questions and answers on France’s decision to suspend its participation in the activities of the Council of Western European Union (WEU). After the WEU Council meeting on the Middle East on 14 February, convened by the United Kingdom but opposed by the French Government, France decided to boycott all future WEU Council meetings. The ministry emphasises that initially the WEU Secretary-General was also opposed to the meeting and refused to chair it. The French authorities believe that the meeting of 14 February was held in breach of the statutory rules governing the WEU Council and that the British initiative was an attempt to institutionalise the holding of regular consultations between the Six and the United Kingdom on foreign policy issues.