CONFIDENTIAL

PMVA (83) 4 (b)) might be raised by the Canadians . If

opportunity occurs the Prime Minister might wish to raise

the question of admission into Canada by holders of

British Overseas Citizen's passports (Brief No.

PMVA (83) (E)).

East/West Relations & Defence/Arms Control Issues

8.

The Prime Minister's talks will provide an

opportunity to encourage the Canadians to involve

themselves more in the common defence of the West through

NATO. From the discussions of the Statement on Defence

and Disarmament at Williamsburg, the Prime Minister will

be aware that Mr Trudeau's attitude to East/West

relations and disarmament negotiations, including the

inclusion of French and British deterrents, is not as

robust as we would wish. However, his recent statements

in support of his government's decision to permit the

testing of American Cruise Missiles in Canada and on INF

deployment have been firm enough and the Canadian

government reacted quickly with practical measures

against Aeroflot after the Korean Airlines tragedy. Mr

Trudeau's idiosyncratic views on the Soviet threat are

not entirely shared by his cabinet colleagues nor by the

opposition Progressive Conservative Party. The Prime

Minister's meeting with Trudeau's cabinet colleagues

before and during lunch and the speech to Parliament will

give Mrs Thatcher an opportunity to put her own views to

a wider and possibly more receptive audience.

CONFIDENTIAL

Share This Page