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PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH:
DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS:
FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENCE
SECOND DRAFT
1. Abroad, as at home, the opening of a new Parliament
is a time for marking the achievements of the past.
And for signalling the challenges of the future. In
foreign affairs, as in domestic government, our
policies are founded on strong values and unchanging
principles. At their heart lies our profound
commitment to freedom and justice, for our own people
and for all peoples. In the promotion of those values
overseas, our approach, in this Parliament as in its
predecessors, will be to work for steady progress by
all means at the disposal of Her Majesty's Government.
2. Our purpose will be to make the most productive use
of all our assets on the international scene. First
among these I set our partnerships and alliances with
friends across the globe. Informed by the values we
share, underpinned by our determination to defend our
common way of life, this worldwide web of connexions is
of the essence of our foreign policy.
Community, and Commonwealth: each is in its way a vital
part of our engagement with the world beyond our
shores.
Alliance,
Together, we have the strength to
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