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Whether that story is apocryphal or not, there is no doubt that the influence of English in the world was growing given the size of Britain and its Dominions and Empire together with the burgeoning population and economic strength of the United States. In addition, senior British political figures like Prime Minister Lloyd George were not known to be fluent French speakers. Moreover, as de Varennes contends, ‘as supranational organizations dealt exclusively with the rules of conduct between states, their focus of attention remained the power balance being played out between states at the global level’ .

• Whether that story is apocryphal or not, there is no doubt that the influence of English in the world was growing given the size of Britain and its Dominions and Empire together with the burgeoning population and economic strength of the United States. In addition, senior British political figures like Prime Minister Lloyd George were not known to be fluent French speakers. Moreover, as de Varennes contends, ‘as supranational organizations dealt exclusively with the rules of conduct between states, their focus of attention remained the power balance being played out between states at the global level’ .