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Continuing, THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY said that the President of Colombia, Dr Barco, had made an impressive speech. Dr Barco had expressed gratitude for Britain's rapid and effective response over the drugs problem. He had accepted an invitation to attend the London Drugs Conference next April. The Polish Foreign Minister, Dr Skubiszeweki, had spoken frankly about Poland's economic problems, but had been less clear than his Hungarian counterpart on how the Polish Government intended

to tackle them. He too had expressed gratitude for Western Support. He had stressed Poland's independence of the Soviet Upon and had commented that the Soviet government had behaved

towards Poland in recent months.

ards

On arms control, THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY said that during his discussions with the United States Secretary of State, Mr James Baker, there had been indications that the United States Administration might place greater importance on securing(early arms control agreements than upon ensuring that every detan been thoroughly examined. He had also had useful discussions with the Pakistan and Chinese Foreign Ministers.

The Cabinet

Took note.

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4. THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY said that the Foreign Affairs Council had adopted the Broadcasting Directive, with the United Kingdom voting in favourour vote had, in the end, not been decisive: only Belgium a mark had maintained their opposition. The protectionist lept in the Directive had been further weakened by interpretative minutes statements, and he was confident that the quota provision would prove ineffective. The United States had maintained their opposition to the end, but had seemed reasonably relaxed at the Directive's adoption and appreciative of the United Kingdom's success in weakening the quota provision. The Cound had also expressed strong support for the Commission's action plan for assistance to Poland and Hungary, which would involve expenditure of 200 million ecu in 1990: the need to continue in later years had been mentioned but not discussed in detail. Ilear that the United Kingdom was ahead of other member states its offers of bilateral assistance to Poland.

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