XN000022-1986-10-12 — Page 37

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SIR GEOFFREY: IF A JOINT DECLARATION HAS BEEN MADE SETTING OUT THE TERMS ON WHICH THE TWO PARTIES TO THE JOINT DECLARATION ARE AGREED, THEN IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE TERMS OF THAT JOINT DECLARATION SHOULD BE FULFILLED. AND THERE ARE VARIOUS WAYS IN WHICH THAT FULFILMENT COMES ABOUT. THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW IS ONE, THAT IS AN IMPORTANT WAY.

QUESTION:

HOW DOES THE FOREIGN OFFICE PLAN TO LIMIT THE DAMAGE DONE TO ANGLO-SAUDI RELATIONS BY SIR JAMES CRAIG'S (UNCLEAR) INFELICITOUS REMARKS PUBLISHED IN SCOTLAND YESTERDAY, NOT IN ENGLAND BECAUSE OF COURSE THE INJUNCTION THE FOREIGN OFFICE TOOK OUT AGAINST THESE REMARKS BEING PUBLISHED IN ENGLAND AND IN PARTICULAR THE POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE VISIT BY THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES TO SAUDI ARABIA NEXT MONTH.

SIR GEOFFREY: AS I SAID I THINK IN ANSWER TO A VERY SIMILAR QUESTION IN BOURNEMOUTH ON FRIDAY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT VIEWS CONTAINED IN A DOCUMENT OF THE KIND IN QUESTION ARE THE VIEWS OF THE AUTHOR OF THAT DOCUMENT AND NOT OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT. IT IS IMPORTANT ALSO TO UNDERSTAND THE STRENGTH ON WHICH GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND SAUDI ARABIA HAVE BEEN BUILT, AND NOT TO COME TO ANY UNDULY PESSIMISTIC CONCLUSIONS AS TO THE IMPACT ON THOSE LONGSTANDING GOOD RELATIONS OF THE PUBLICATION IN THE WAY YOU DESCRIBED OF A DOCUMENT OF THIS KIND. WE DO ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO THOSE RELATIONS SO DO THE GOVERNMENT OF SAUDI ARABIA. AND I HAVE NOTHING MORE TO SAY THAN THAT.