2000
SCUNEI
}
SECRET
FM FCO 161224Z MAY
TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
TELEGRAM NUMBER 502 OF 16 MAY
PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR FROM MELHUISH.
1. YOU WILL WISH TO HAVE FOR YOU OWN INFORMATION THE TEXT OF A
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE PRIME MINISTER DELIVERED TO NO. 10 OVER LAST WEEKEND. WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE PRIME MINISTER SENT A SHORT INTERIM REPLY, PROVIDING A FULLER RESPONSE AFTER MR VANCE'S VISIT.
2. TEXT READS:
DEAR MADAM PRIME MINISTER:
MAY 1 REPEAT MY CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ELECTION VICTORY,
AND ON YOUR EXCELLENT BEGINNING AS PRIME MINISTER.
IN THIS LETTER, I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN OUR DISCUSSIONS ON IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING OUR TWO COUNTRIES, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU BOTH AT TOKYO AND
AFTERWARDS.
-
FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, THERE IS NO HIGHER FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITY AT THE MOMENT THAN GAINING THE RATIFICATION OF THE SALT.
|| AGREEMENT BY THE SENATE. IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE CLEAR TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND TO THE
SENATE THE VITAL CONTRIBUTION THIS AGREEMENT WILL MAKE TO · AMERICAN AND WESTERN SECURITY, AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF ITS REJECTION. I AM CONFIDENT WE WILL SUCCEED.
THE VIEW OF OUR EUROPEAN ALLIES WILL ALSO HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT
ON SENATE DEBATE. FOR THAT REASON, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE STATEMENT YOUR GOVERNMENT MADE FOLLOWING OUR SALT ANNOUNCEMENT. CY
VANCE WILL ALSO BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS ANY ASPECT OF IT WITH YOU AND
YOUR MINISTERS DURING HIS VISIT TO LONDON. YOUR COUNSEL AND SUPPORT
WILL BE INVALUABLE TO ME AND TO THE PROSPECTS FOR SENATE RATIFICATION
SEGRET
/ AS
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