At the 289th meeting of the Council of Western European Union (WEU), held at ministerial level on 15 and 16 March 1966 in London and chaired by British Foreign Secretary Michael Stewart, the delegations discuss East–West relations. Michael Stewart notes that no progress has been made in recent months in the discussions on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, but the USSR has reactivated the Geneva Conference, which had ground to a halt. On the German question, he emphasises that the Western powers should take any available opportunity to make it clear that they do not consider the status quo in Germany as a desirable long-term solution. According to the British Government, the Western powers should maintain Western defences in full working order and avoid any provocative behaviour towards the Soviet Union.