TNAG-1324-FCO40-1736-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 189

NOTES FOR DRAFT SPEECH FOR WINDING-UP FOREIGN AFFAIRS

DEBATE,

HOUSE OF LORDS, 29 FEBRUARY

My Lords, in winding-up I intend to pick up a number

of the points raised during the debate. First however

I want to spend a few minutes discussing the European

Community.

British Membership of the Community is at once

central to the Government's economic policy, and to our

foreign policy. That is why the "relaunch" of the

European Community is a major British national

interest. A confident, healthy Community would

complement the economic progress we are making at home.

Despite the dwindling band of strident voices to the

contrary the British people want to be in the

Community. They want us to make a success of

membership. That was clear from the last election.

I consider that the Stuttgart Declaration of June

1983 was a breakthrough. After years of drift, the

Community at last embarked on a process of fundamental

reform. Yet at Athens, in December, they ducked the

crucial decisions. Nothing has been lost except time

and on this occasion, for a change, time is on the side

of those seeking reform, not those defending the status

quo. Why? Because the Community is running out of

money. Either it takes some hard decisions for its

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