An II-nation conference called to create a unified European space agency broke up prematurely and in confusion on Thursday (12 July) in Brussels, Belgium when ministers from Holland, Sweden and Italy suddenly announced they could not take any decisions on questions to be discussed.

The Italians said they could not undertake any promises because of their recent Government reshuffle. The Swedish and Dutch representatives said they could not participate because their governments had not made budgetary decisions.

It was originally expected that the discussion would go on throughout the night. But at a hastily summoned press conference Belgian Science Minister Charles Hanin said the conference would be postponed until July 31.

The Ministers did have time to discuss a French proposal that Europe should have its own rocket to life satellites into orbit.

SYNOPSIS: Hopes were high that the eleven-national conference of European science ministers in Brussels, would reach a joint policy on space matters. Instead, the session wound up prematurely and in total confusion on Thursday when three nations...Italy, Sweden and Holland...announced they could go no further yet. Italy blamed the recent government reshuffle...the other two countries said their governments had not made any budgetary decisions. The conference was postponed until July 31.

The Ministers did have time to consider one thing before they parted....a suggestion that Europe should have her own rocket to launch satellites into orbit.