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failure to deliver on its promise of an economic up-turn.
The economy is growing slowly by German standards, with
an (OECD) forecast of GNP growth of 1% in 1983 and 1 3/4%
in 1984. Electoral concern was illustrated in poor CDU
results in the regional elections in Hesse and Bremen in
September. The FDP, however, scored an unexpected
success in Hesse; this will have served as endorsement of
their alliance with the CDU in Bonn and have helped to
dispel doubts about Genscher's future.
4. German Ministers attending the Summit (in Bonn) will
be Herr Genscher, Herr Stoltenberg (Finance),
Count Lambsdorff (Economy), Herr Woerner (Defence) and
Herr Kiechle (Agriculture).
British Ministers attending
will be Sir G Howe, Mr Lawson, Mr Heseltine, Mr Parkinson
and Mr Jopling.
Objectives
5. The broad UK objective will be to consolidate the
political understanding reached with the Germans over the
past year through the Prime Minister's six bilateral
meetings with Chancellor Kohl, and the numerous
Ministerial contacts. Our interests coincide in many
areas. We must exploit this to further our specific
objectives, particularly in the European Community.
Chancellor Kohl, now in office for over a year, is
feeling increasingly confident on the international scene
(he has recently visited Japan, Indonesia and India). Wel
must try to ensure that his own policy goals remain
compatible with our own.
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