CONFIDENTIAL
彎
7. My visit to Spain was set against a background of widespread strikes and demonstrations, although I personally witnessed very little trouble (other than some fairly horrendous traffic jams). The editor of el Pais, on whom I called with Lord Nicholas, commented somewhat gloomily on the social and political scene, and the extent to which the Government was failing to show any sense of leadership. commented particularly on what he saw as the Government's attitude that they had been elected to power, and therefore had no need to explain their policies in Parliament.
He
8. On the morning of my arrival in Madrid, Lord Nicholas had carried out instructions to propose to the King that The Queen should pay a State Visit to Spain in autumn 1988. We later received very appreciative reactions to this news, both from the King's Private Secretary and from Ezquerra, when they dined at the Embassy. Ezquerra in particular commented on the fact that the news of the State Visit, when it breaks, will eradicate Spanish suspicions that the Prince of Wales's visit next month is designed as a lower level response to the King's visit here.
Portugal
9. In Lisbon, my host was Sr António Patrício, Secretary-General at the Foreign Ministry, who almost exactly duplicates my own functions. The Portuguese had insisted on making me an official visitor, and we were not only greeted on arrival and departure by Patrício and his wife; they also spent the whole of Friday accompanying us to a day, including lunch, in the countryside. I fear that he has set me a somewhat awkward precedent for a return visit (for which I have of course invited him).
10. I was much impressed by the obvious desire on the part of the Portuguese (echoed by the Foreign Minister, on whom I paid a brief call), for continuing close relations with us and for full consultation on a wide variety of subjects, including particularly Southern Africa. I was also struck by the frequency with which the Portuguese make digs at the Spaniards (from whom, as a Portuguese saying goes, they expect nothing good, whether a wife or a wind). The Embassy will be recording our discussions, and there is little which I need highlight here, although Patrício was particularly interested in exchanging views on Mozambique, and on President Chissano. As an ex Ambassador to Moscow, Patrício was also interested in my account of what Mrs Thatcher hopes to achieve from her visit to the Soviet Union; I found that he personally tended to take a fairly sceptical view on Gorbachev and his "reforms".
PUSBSK
CONFIDENTIAL
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