TNAG-1341-FCO40-17721-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1985 — Page 101

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for re-dection. So I think we are on the same wavelength.

QUESTION

This might sound a little repetitive!

PRIME MINISTER

Well neither you nor I would be able to do very much

without repetition, would we?

QUESTION

You see, part of the problem is the President campaigned

against almost all the major.....agfeements...and this

Administration has not affirmed that it would not abandon in a

I am clear of your certain situation some of those treaties.

-

position. Your position is deployment of strategic defence

initiative requires negotiation and the ABM treaty bears on it.

Do you have an impression because apparently you do not

have anything explicit from the President that he will not

abandon the ABM treaty, which a lot of people think is the

lynchpin of arms control?

-

PRIME MINISTER

I think you have the answer in Point 2.

Strategic

Defence Initiative-related deployment would, in view of treaty

obligations, have to be a matter for negotiation.

Would you

also look at, I think, the 31st of March message to Congress,

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