TNAG-1313-FCO40-1688-Future-of-Hong-Kong-views-and-involvement-of-Australia--Cana-1984 — Page 10

NM3ABN

CONFIDENTIAL

there was no point in pursuing the matter if it was going to get nowhere.

East/West Relations and Arms Control

21. The Secretary of State said the picture was more encouraging than it had looked when he last met Mr Clark in New York in September. His main concern was that over-ambitious public expectations should not be aroused, and that the West should avoid premature concessions and changes of position. In particular we should not give away points of substance in the discussion of procedure. Allied countries needed to hold together for what might be a long period.

22. Mr Clark agreed. He noted that there was pressure within Canada for a distinctive Canadian approach to this subject. He thought the most important thing Canada could do was to make its full contribution as a Member of NATO. He would welcome advice in advance of a visit which he was proposing to make to Moscow in April next year. He was glad to note that Lord Carrington was stressing the importance of the political side of the Alliance. He thought we should encourage people to think of NATO in terms of values. Too many people saw it only in terms of missiles. There was a need for more discussion and education in Canada. It was easier to defend an alliance which involved defence rather than one which was exclusively concerned with military preparations.

23. Sir Geoffrey Howe said that the British Government was also keeping up a public information effort in support of the Alliance, and referred to the creation of "Peace Through NATO". He saw no difficulty in members of the Alliance having an independent posture in their approach to the East. had drawn Mr Gromyko's attention to the fact that members of the Western Alliance were playing their own hands in talks with the East. As far as Britain was concerned, this was consistent with the Prime Minister's visit to Hungary and the forthcoming visit to London of Mr Gorbachev. It was important that the younger generation in the Soviet leadership should be exposed to realities in the West. We had not gone soft on the Russians. We were playing our part in a common cause, and we pursued no contacts that we did not tell our other friends about. In this connection, Sir Geoffrey commented that the Foreign Ministers of the Community saw each other monthly in political co-operation. He thought it important that a close dialogue should also be kept going on this subject with the Canadian Government.

CONFIDENTIAL

He