TNAG-1254-FCO40-1587-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 52

CONFIDENTIAL

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UNITED KINGDOM OBJECTIVES

Contribute greatly to

3. The visit will present-a-major_opportunity-te

-strengthen-and-develop contacts with an important NATO

ally and Commonwealth partner after the difficulties

leading up to partriation of the Canadian constitution.

In terms of our bilateral relations it will provide an

opportunity to profit from the respect and admiration

which the Canadians have for the Prime Minister.

Thatcher's meetings with federal and provincial Ministers

as well as the two speeches in Ottrawa and Toronto will

give the Prime Minister an opportunity to promote the

image of Britain as a modern high-technology society and

a suitable partner for Canadian investment and trade.

Mrs

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Anglo/Canadian Relations

4. There are no serious problems between us but both

t sides may have tended to take the bilateral relationship

too much for granted in the recent past. The Canadians

certainly hold lingering suspicions that in joining the

European Community, Britain turned its back on Canada and

the old Commonwealth. An important purpose of a visit at

Prime Minister-ial level will be to demonstrate that

although the relationship between Canada and Britain has

greatly changed in the post-war period, it is firmly based

and greatly valued. However, neither the Prime Minister

nor Mr Trudeau will wish to spend much time discussing

Anglo/Canadian relations as such though specific issues.

CONFIDENTIAL