23-FEB-1993 09:45 22-FEB-LYMO
FCO NEWS DEPT
071 270 3734
P.12
TRANSCRIPT B · GUS O' DONNELL/FRANCIS CORNISH/MARK PELLEW
BACKGROUND BRIEFING LONDON - 22 FEBRUARY 1993
terms of years we think that is a bit counter-productive.
We have
to, all of us some of us more than others face the fact that
we will be going to a G7 when we have been saying, in my case ever
since Houston, that the leaders would give their personal
commitment to get the GATT Round settled this year. It is
certainly an embarrassment to me but on the other hand, I think
that embarrassment is tempered by the fact that no country, in my
view, has done more to get a GATT Round going than Britain.
We must ensure that the Blair House agreement on agriculture is
not unpicked; that is absolutely vital. If we go down that
route, then we are back in the Dark Ages. So that is the number
one important thing. Secondly, we need extension to fast track
authority which gives a certain amount of time of course,
months I won't say how many, I am not sure but when we start
stretching to years, then I think the pressure comes off and there
is a great danger that we unpick everything.
QUESTION:
Gus, given tonight's "World in Action" programme, have you, as it
were, through the usual channels, any indication that that is all
forgotten about?
GUS O'DONNELL:
I think it will be clear that the two people... I stress this is
not really for me and one of the things I shall be making apparent
to some of the opposite numbers there, although I am sure they