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FROM:
David Lidington
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DATE:
2 February 1990
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FOREIGN SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH CONSERVATIVE BACKBENCH MPS: THURSDAY, 1 FEBRUARY 1990
Present:
John Marshall David Sumberg
Sir Ian Lloyd
John Bowis
Tim Smith
(Hendon South) (Bury South)
(Havant)
(Battersea)
Michael Irvine (Ipswich)
(Beaconsfield)
Germany and Eastern Europe
1.
John Marshall said that very many of his constituents were suspicious of Germany [the Hendon South constituency includes Golders Green and has a substantial Jewish population]. On the other hand, he had been a member of the European Parliament and had worked cordially with German colleagues there. If Germany were to be reunited then Britain should seek to strengthen her alliance with France and encourage Eastern European countries to develop stronger links with the EC so that they did not become completely dependent upon a dominant Germany.
2. David Sumberg was alarmed by the growth of nationalism in Germany and Eastern Europe. The possible disintegration of the Soviet Union would cause us further problems. Who would control Soviet nuclear weapons? The British media was in danger of whipping up a mood of euphoria which was dangerous when matters in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union were so unstable.
3. Sir Ian Lloyd said that the older generation, the more suspicious people were likely to be about Germany. He saw the real threat as being the cauldron of Balkin nationalism.
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