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THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT made an oral report on the arrangements for the introduction of the Community Charge. The discussion and the conclusions reached are recorded separately.
FIDENTIA
Conservative
Party
Conference: Policy
Announcements
HE PRIME MINISTER said that announcements about policy changes With expenditure implications should be avoided at the
eservative Party Conference so far as possible, and should in
event be agreed with the Treasury.
The Cabinet -
2.
Took note.
&
Anglo-Irish Conference
THE SECRETARY-
Previous Reference:
CC (89) 29.2
STATE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND said that there would be a meet of the Anglo-Irish Conference that afternoon. The discussion would be difficult in view of the continuing leaks of material about suspected terrorists.
suspected terrorists. On the other hand it was increasingle that not only was the material involved low-grade but that its release stemmed from a concerted attempt by para-military groups to discredit the security forces. There was no viene, for example, to support claims of an "inner circle" of effected officers in the Royal Ulster Constabulary. It had become evident to the Government of the Irish Republic, however, that number of groups opposed to the Agreement were trying to exploit the present position to their own ends. While, therefore, would be ready to give a firm and robust account of the British Government's position to the Conference, and the meeting wouldoubtedly be difficult, he hoped that it would not end in a plete rupture.
The Cabinet
-
3. Took note.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
East German Refugees
3. THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY sait at since the border between Hungary and Austria had been opened Your weeks ago over 40,000 East Germans had fled through Czechoslovakia and Hungary. Earlier this year 60,000 had left the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Thus over 100,000 refugees the GDR so far in 1989 compared with 40,000 in the whole 1988. The GDR government had now imposed a visa requirere travel to Czechoslovakia. Although this would reduce the
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