TNAG-1256-FCO40-1589-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 185

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failure to deliver on its promise of an economic up-turn.

The economy is growing slowly by German standards, with

an (OECD) forecast of GNP growth of 1% in 1983 and 1 3/4%

in 1984. Electoral concern was illustrated in poor CDU

results in the regional elections in Hesse and Bremen in

September. The FDP, however, scored an unexpected

success in Hesse; this will have served as endorsement of

their alliance with the CDU in Bonn and have helped to

dispel doubts about Genscher's future.

4. German Ministers attending the Summit (in Bonn) will

be Herr Genscher, Herr Stoltenberg (Finance),

Count Lambsdorff (Economy), Herr Woerner (Defence) and

Herr Kiechle (Agriculture).

British Ministers attending

will be Sir G Howe, Mr Lawson, Mr Heseltine, Mr Parkinson

and Mr Jopling.

Objectives

5. The broad UK objective will be to consolidate the

political understanding reached with the Germans over the

past year through the Prime Minister's six bilateral

meetings with Chancellor Kohl, and the numerous

Ministerial contacts. Our interests coincide in many

areas. We must exploit this to further our specific

objectives, particularly in the European Community.

Chancellor Kohl, now in office for over a year, is

feeling increasingly confident on the international scene

(he has recently visited Japan, Indonesia and India). Wel

must try to ensure that his own policy goals remain

compatible with our own.

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