a WHY IS THE SUMMIT NEEDED, SIR?
A. OH, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, WE CAN HAVE SUMMITS SOMETIMES CAN'T WE
EXCLAMATION MARK I MEAN, IT WAS PLANNED SOMETIME BEFORE THE RECENT EVENTS. I THINK IT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED BY OUR OWN FOREIGN SECRETARY AND THERE WERE TWO REASONS FOR IT. WE HAD A SUMMIT A YEAR AGO, AS YOU MAY RECALL, TO CELEBRATE THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY AND TO ENDORSE THE OTTAWA DECLARATION ON NATO BUT WE FELT THAT WHILE WE COULDN'T BE SURE ABOUT THE LIKELY TIMING AND WE'RE STILL NO
SURE ABOUT THE LIKELY TIMING OF THE CSCE CONFERENCE IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REVEAL PROGRESS, PERHAPS ON THE EVE OF THAT CONFERENCE, IN ANY CASE PROGRESS TOWARDS HOLDING THAT CONFERENCE, AND SO IT IS A VERY TIMELY OCCASION FOR US TO BE MEETING AT HEAD OF GOVERNMENT LEVEL.
A EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE MUTUALLY CONFIDENT ABOUT THE CUTCOME
OF THE REFERENDUM, DID YOU DISCUSS AT ALL ANY CONTINGENCY PLANNING
ABOUT THE TYPE OF AMERICAN ASSISTANCE THAT MIGHT BE OFFERED IF BRITAIN DOES GO OUT?
A NO, NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST. NO WE DIDN'T. NO MORE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED.
RAMSBOTHAM
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