TNAG-2767-FCO40-3984-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1993 — Page 182

33-FEB-1993 09:48 22-FEB-1993 16:55

FCO NEWS DEPT JAMES LEE

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

BACKGROUND BRIEFING - LONDON - 22 FEBRUARY 1993

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it should the EC that negotiates on trade issues. I know it is

delicate but I think that is something that with Sir Leon Brittan

now as Trade Commissioner, we should be able to help on. So I

think there are actually reasons why you might say the

relationship could be more special now but it is for others to

decide what to call it. We just want to work together closely and

successfully and effectively.

QUESTION:

May I ask whether the Prime Minister's appearances on American

television involve the usual breakfast TV coast-to-coast and all

that?

GUS O'DONNELL:

I don't want to give away any commercial secrets here but he has

done that before and he may well do it again.

QUESTION:

Do you expect any discussions on NAFTA, the North American Free

Is this of any particular concern to Britain?

Trade Agreement?

GUS O'DONNELL:

It is certainly not down on the list of issues to raise, no. Ne

will be much more concerned about general UK-US, EC-US and GATT

and there are some specific questions about taxation of foreign

companies which would have loomed large but for the State of the

Union Address. Whilst there were certain campaign threats about