[
CONFIDENTIAL
M.
democracy, the terrible economic problems and the human suffering which they were causing. Bariani said that he had been struck by the popular expression of hostility to the Mexican President at the opening of the World Cup. Lady Young said that in spite of the earthquake, the corruption and the debt crisis, Mexico had preserved its social cohesion. M. Bariani thought that Europe should respond to the Latin American interest in developing relations with us. Lady Young agreed. She thought that this interest would increase now that Spain was in the EC, although Latin American countries did not wish to be linked only to Spain.
14. Lady Young described the drugs problems in Latin America, which required international cooperation. In areas of great poverty the profits could be enormous. M. Bariani questioned the will of some governments to fight the drug pushers. Lady Young thought that many were trying very hard, but it was very difficult for them. We were making great efforts to stop the in flow of drugs to the UK.
15. Lady Young said that the next EC/Central America meeting was expected in early 1987. We hoped that the Contadora process would continue, if only because it was a way of managing the situation. M. Barianı said that France's position was being reviewed.
M. Chirac had spoken of the limited ability of Europe to influence events in Central America. This was a statement of fact, not evidence of any lack of interest on the French Government's part. France supported Contadora.
Caribbean
16. M. Bariani said that the appointment of a "State Secretary for the French Language" from Guadeloupe demonstrated the government's interest in the Caribbean. So did the establishment of an Embassy in St Lucia, the only new French Embassy for two years. Lady Young said that we had been studying the problems of security of small States. It could be useful to develop cooperation between the Caribbean countries, perhaps including the French DOMS. M. Barıanı agreed with this general philosophy.
When Lady Young asked about Haiti, M. Michel who had been France's Ambassador there until two months ago, said that the provisional government was starting to consolidate itself. Its view that it was too early to fix a political timetable seemed to be accepted by nearly everyone. It was necessary to re-construct the country and develop some basis for democracy before trying to hold