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Reference
Miss
Büss
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9/121145
19
Sec Pol Dept
AMD
AD (E)
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON: 18-20 DECEMBER BILATERAL TELECON WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT CLINTON CALL FOR BRIEFS:
Deadline 09.30 Thursday 10 December
1. The Prime Minister will visit the United States and Canada from 17-20 December for the EC/Canada and EC/US Summits. A separate call for briefs will issue for these meetings.
2.
During his visit to Washington, the Prime Minister will also talk on the telephone with President-elect Clinton. This will essentially be an opportunity for them to establish a good working relationship. The Prime Minister will not wish the conversation to be dominated by issues. He will no doubt wish to raise the Alliance, GATT, Somalia and the former Yugoslavia, on which a constructive exchange of views might be possible, and might also wish to put down a marker with Mr Clinton on key subjects of concern to HMG, such as Northern Ireland and Hong Kong/China/MFN. If it seems to be appropriate, the Prime Minister may wish to refer in broad terms to other questions of concern he will wish to cover in their first meeting. But he will not wish to get into detail. Governor Clinton has specifically asked that substantive talks be held in the New Year when he has put his foreign policy team together and when he can be accompanied by advisers. Key issues would be nuclear testing, BA/USair and US Tax on Foreign Corporations.
3. Please may I have your comments and contributions where appropriate by 09.30 am on Thursday 10 December. Contributions should be in the form of an expanded check list for inclusion in a PS letter to PS/No 10. These will need to be concise and carefully tailored.
Swed
Neil Hook
North America Department
8 December 1992
HICD 02001/3
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CODE 18-77
cc: Mr Beamish
Mr Appleyard