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respond positively to this suggestion, without prejudice to either side's position on sovereignty. On the forthcoming UN debate over
the Falklands, the PUS said that we were waiting to see the text of
the Argentine draft resolution. Our EC partners recognised the importance we attached to Community solidarity in New York. HMG had
made a number of constructive moves in the past year, which regrettably had not been reciprocated, and were keen that the issue
should not become a gladiatorial contest in international diplomacy.
EC/EFTA (Mr Shepherd (ECD(E)) joined the meeting)
8.
Mr Shepherd outlined current EC issues: the Inter-Governmental
Conference, discussions on a Treaty on political cooperation and preparation for the Luxembourg European Council in December. He underlined the UK's attachment to the completion of the internal
market (which would also benefit EFTA members), and to deregulation.
HMG had difficulty with the suggestion of increased powers for the European Parliament. On EC/EFTA, Mr Shepherd confirmed that the EFTA members' interests had been preserved by the Commission in the
negotiations for Spanish and Portuguese accession.
East/West Relations
On
9. Mr Brunner outlined the logistic difficulties facing the Swiss
in preparing for the meeting between President Reagan and
Mr Gorbachev. The informal party between the two delegations originally planned for 18 November, had been moved to the end of the meeting on the 20th. He thought this regrettable, as was the flood of proposals from 200 non-Governmental organisations to come to Geneva to lobby the participants. This could harm the prospects for
success. One NGO consisted of wives of concerned US senators.
substance, neither side wanted a failure in Geneva. He had spoken to Kampelmann, and agreed with his assessment that the Russians had
given their representatives instructions to agree to nothing in the
negotiations on CW, CDE or MBFR before the Geneva meeting. The
Russians had even told the Neutrals in the CDE Forum to hold back
submitting a draft text. The best outcome from Geneva would be a
commitment to a further meeting, plus a general injunction to
negotiators in the specialised fora to make progress.
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