TNAG-1341-FCO40-17721-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1985 — Page 94

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QUESTION

Prime Minister, did Mr. Reagan agree with your view

of nucler treaties for the indefinite future and if he did agree it should definitely be allowed to last and also did he agree that members of the Western Alliance would have some direct participation in the negotiations you are talking about with the Soviet Union and would be required somewhere down the road to deploy.........in other words, would you have a veto?

Would you have any kind of direct say?

PRIME MINISTER

No, we were not discussing the specific duration of particular treaties. I am pretty sure I am right because I

looked it up before I came to the States, that the anti- ballistic missile section is, I think, of indefinite duration,

but that is just a question of fact.

With regard to the West having direct participation

They will, of in these talks, no, we did not discuss it. course, be between the Soviet Union and the United States. And if you then go on to ask about own independent nuclear deterrent, it only amounts to something like 3% of the

strategic missile component of the Soviet Union and it really is so small in proportion to the rest that we do not in fact

come into the strategic missile talks.

QUESTION

Prime Minister, in your talks on the world economy

were you encouraged to stimulate the British economy?