PRIME MINISTER'S WRITTEN INTERVIEW WITH THE HINDUSTAN TIMES
DRAFT TEXT
1.
What kind of Europe is likely to emerge, taking into account sweeping changes in Eastern Europe and the imminent German unification?
2. Do you think that the relationship between Britain and the Continent will change in some way after the two Germanies have re-united?
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I believe it will be a better Europe than my generation has known.
It will be a more democratic Europe, because all the marvellous changes we have seen in recent months show that when people are free to choose, they choose freedom. Free elections are now taking place across eastern Europe, and President Gorbachev is working to introduce more democracy in the Soviet Union - which I very much welcome and support.
It will be a more prosperous Europe, as a result of the completion of the Single Market in the Community and the introduction of market systems in the east. Communist economic planning is completely discredited, and countries like Poland are now taking far-reaching measures of economic reform to set free individual initiative and enterprise. must give them all the help we can.
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It will also, I believe, be a Europe whose nations are able to cooperate more closely than ever before, because they will share common values and interests. So it will be a more stable and secure Europe, where old divisions have been overcome through democracy.
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Of course you will have a united Germany the German people want. But we have to work hard to make sure that unification takes everyone's interests into account, and results in a Germany that can play a full and welcome part in building a freer, more prosperous and more secure Europe.
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You will still have NATO, including Germany, because that is a great force for peace and stability through collective defence and cooperation between free and equal partners. will have the Community, stronger than ever after 1992 but respecting the individual traditions and identities of its members. It will remain a model of cooperation for others, and it will be open to the rest of Europe and the wider world. You will also have other organisations like the Council of Europe and Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, which I hope we can develop to strengthen democracy, respect for human rights, and stability in our Continent.
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