CONFIDENTIAL.
advocate new policies in areas of particular conceDSRtric
them e.g. on energy, monetary reform and industrial
agencies. We expect to find considerable identity of
interest with them on the last point but they have yet to
make clear their proposals. Similarly we await
clarification of French proposals for écrêtement des
soldes which will probably emerge before the special
council at the end of September. Our position on
agriculture is diametrically opposed to that of the
French for whom the Commission's recent proposals will
have greater appeal. We shall need to insist on the
positive approach inherent in UK attitudes. EC/US
relations, particularly on trade-related issues, will
feature as will enargement where the French will wish to
be seen to be making some progress during their
Presidency in the first half of 1984. Officials will
have met on 4 October to go over Community and other
economic and related issues in advance of the Summit.
**
of the
ii) Defence and Arms Control. The positions
Dutch, Germans and Belgian Governments on the INF
dual-track decision have shown further signs of erosion.
French support for the decision (to which they are not a
party) remains firm but less vocal. The Summit will
provide an opportunity to discuss how European resolve
can be stiffened and the pro-deployment arguments best
presented. It will be particularly important to agree
with the French a common line on the rôle of the French
and British independent deterrents which may become the
major sticking point in the Geneva negotiations.
CONFIDENTIAL
On the