TNAG-2767-FCO40-3984-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1993 — Page 181

23-FEB-1993 09:47

22-FEB-1993 16:54

FCO NEWS DEPT JAMES LEE

071 270 3734

F.16

CHPOCCHAKA

7.10

TRANSCRIPT B GUS O' DONNELL/FRANCIS CORNISH/MARK PELLEW

BACKGROUND BRIEFING - LONDON 22 FEBRUARY 1993

9

All three of us on this top table have served in Washington at the

We have all known to a varying degree the

embassy there.

ignorance about Northern Ireland that you meet in various areas spread around the United States, people believing that the Unionists are a minority, for example, in Northern Ireland

-

quite

a common mistake. I think anyone who understands the situation

and can face what we are trying to do there with the understanding

that we are trying very hard to work for the wishes of the

majority there to reach a peaceful solution and get all the

I think what Speaker political parties round the table can help.

There are

Foley has said generally in the past has been helpful.

other members of the Democratic Party who have not been so

helpful.

QUESTION:

The American diplomats are not very keen to use the words "special

relationship". Does that mean that in the future it will be

better to speak about a friendly or working relationship because

this relationship is less special today?

GUS O'DONNELL:

I think it is always for others to use terms about this

relationship. I think it is special in the sense that we have

worked together on various issues like within NATO, in the Gulf

war, in our various dealings with the UN Security Council and

through various trade matters. We like to think we can help

resolve EC-US trade disputes without violating the basic rule that