PROROGATION:
HER MAJESTY'S SPEECH
Her Majesty's most gracious Speech was then delivered to both Houses of Parliament by the Lord Chancellor (in pursuance of Her Majesty's Command) as follows:
Hansard
13. Natembr 1930.
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[LORDS]
Royal Commission: “My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
My Husband and I were pleased to receive the State Visits of the President of Kenya in June 1979 and of the President of the Republic of Indonesia and Madame Tien Soeharto in November.
"We look back with much pleasure on the visits we have made. We visited Denmark in May 1979; and Tanzania, Botswana, Malawi and Zambia in July and August. As Head of the Common- wealth, I was present in Lusaka on the occasion of the meeting of the Common- wealth Heads of Government. In May this year we visited Switzerland and we have recently returned from visits to Italy, the Holy Sce, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. We were greatly saddened by the death in July this year of President Khama of Botswana.
"My Government welcomed the independence of Kiribati, St. Vincent, Zimbabwe and Vanuatu, and their decision to join the Commonwealth. Having brought Southern Rhodesia to independence in conditions of the widest international recognition, My Govern- ment have committed substantial aid to Zimbabwe's reconstruction and develop-
ment.
· My Government attach the highest importance to ensuring the security of the nation and the maintenance of peace. They have played a leading role within the North Atlantic Alliance to ensure that the defence capability of the West is such as to deter any would- be aggressor. British defences have been strengthened and action has been. taken to improve the morale of the armed forces. My Government have taken steps to maintain the effectiveness of Britain's nuclear deterrent into the 1990s and beyond. Realistic, balanced and verifiable arms control measures have been sought in the Committee on Disarmament and in other
negotiations.
"In conjunction with the United Kingdom's partners and allies, My Government have sought to bring home to the Soviet Union the damage which its actions have done to East- West relations. My Government have played an active part in the inter-
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Prorogation national effort to enable Afghanistan to resume its traditional neutrality and non-alignment.
"My Government have sought to play a constructive part in the work of the European Community and in European political co-operation. Arrangements have been agreed to reduce substantially the United Kingdom's net contribution to the community budget and our partners in Europe are committed to a thorough review of the development of community policies and the operation of the budget. My Ministers have secured level terms of competition for the agricultural industry under the common agricultural policy and have been negotiating a revision of the common fisheries policy which takes account of the need to conserve fish stocks and to protect the interests of our fishermen.
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My Government have also worked for a negotiated peace in the Arab/Israeli conflict acceptable to all parties. To- gether with the other members of the European Community, they stated in Venice on 13th June this year the principles on which they believed such. a settlement should be based. They are playing a full part in the action being take to follow up this declaration.
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'The United Kingdom also took an active part in the discussion of inter- rational economic and political ques- tions at the summit meeting of the leaders of the seven major industrialised countries held in Venice in June this year.
"My Government have continued to co-operate in international efforts to solve the serious economic difficulties of many developing countries. They have been active also in Commonwealth affairs and in the work of the United Nations and its specialised agencies. Britain's contacts with countries in Latin America and elsewhere have been strengthened.
"My Government have supported the efforts of the countries of the Associ- ation of South East Asian Nations to meet the threat posed by Vietnam's armed intervention in Cambodia, and have taken a leading part in international moves to relieve famine and to care for refugees in South East Asia.