TNAG-2916-FCO40-4191-International-support-from-European-countries-regarding-the--1993 — Page 76

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PM/CHANCELLOR KOHL

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11 NOVEMBER 1992

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One of the many positive aspects of the Maastricht Treaty is that

it will help achieve that goal and whilst I mention the Maastricht

Treaty let me commend to you the booklet produced today by the

British Government which translates some of the Eurocomment into

English and copies will be available for people and I hope they

will find it very useful.

At the plenary session with our Ministerial colleagues we

discussed a number of matters, amongst them the European Fighter

Aircraft, a very important European collaborative project. The

recent four nation study has shown that we can cut the costs very

substantially and I very much hope that future studies will

confirm that we have a basis for going ahead with such a new

fighter aircraft, we have not reached that position yet but the

discussions will continue between our Defence Ministers in the

weeks ahead.

Ministers also discussed the former Yugoslavia, we welcome the

news of a ceasefire although we remain cautious about how lasting

it will prove. Douglas Hurâ can respond to that in greater detail

if there are specific questions on it.

Let me also report straight away some excellent progress in

combating international crime and drug smuggling. Community

member states are working together on an intergovernmental basis

to establish the first stage of Europol by 1 January next year and

this stage will include a drugs intelligence unit which will