Interviewer
Prime Minister are you disappointed at the extent to which the subject of fish and fisheries policy has dominated this Summit?
PM
(unclear) particularly as two members of the Community wanted in fact to have the Community agree to arrangements with third countries in the absence of a Common Fisheries Policy. We could not possibly agree to that unless at the same time the Community would have taken large amounts of fish off our markets because it would disadvantage our fishermen otherwise. We weren't able to agree to the Community taking large amounts of fish from our market. So we said we really must go ahead and try to secure agreement on the Common Fisheries Policy. We were within an ace of success in December and we hope to be able to carry on from there and we hope that the Fisheries Ministers will meet this week with a view to settling all of the outstanding problems including what is vital to us the satisfactory Common Fisheries Policy.
Interviewer
So far as one could gather, the Germans feel as aggrieved this time as you did during the British Budget row. Do you have any sympathy with their position at all?
PM
They would have no occasion to feel aggrieved had we managed to get agreement by the end of December. We were working extremely hard for it. Our fishermen want it and we thought we were going to get it and somehow after that the whole thing lost momentum. What happened this time was that every single Head of Government wants a Fisheries Agreement. Each of us of course has to have one that is satisfactory for our fishermen and as we in Britain bring in something like 60%; of the waters and fish to the Community we really have a very good claim for a very good Common Fisheries Policy for our people.
Interviewer
It has been reported that a lot of pressure was put on you by the French and by the Germans, particularly last night, to try to ease Britain's position in this matter. What is your reaction to that? [end p1]
PM
Yes, it was, but there was no point in trying to put pressure on me. I couldn't possibly agree to anything that would disadvantage our fishermen. There was no question of it. So this morning we took the initiative and said, look, instead of just talking about these agreements, we shall get no further, just let's go back to talking about the solution of the whole Common Fisheries Policy and I hope we will be able to take up where we left off in December when we were doing very well and making good progress.
Interviewer
… initiative which I am sure is appreciated by your Common Market partners, but can you make any further concession on this matter?
PM
We are not talking about concessions. The thing is to make arrangements which enable the quotas on which we have already agreed properly to be fished.
Interviewer
On the question of unemployment are you disappointed that more time was not spent on that subject, for example?
PM
But we spent a long time on discussing economic matters, particularly unemployment. Because in fact unemployment is rising in the Community as a whole. Last time when we had an oil crisis it had risen to about 4½–5%; this time, throughout the Community as a whole, it is up to about 7½%; and some countries have an even higher amount than we have in Britain. Of course that was foremost in our minds and of course we spent a long time on it. It is easier to discuss the problems than to find solutions. We are very anxious that the Economic and Social Fund should relieve the unemployment particularly among the young to provide more money for training, to help those in difficult areas where we are having to restructure older industries like shipbuilding and steel and also that we should somehow manage to make room for extra investment in production industries. Make use of the extra investment by reducing the amount which goes on consumption. All of those matters were very thoroughly discussed. We hope to discuss them again in future. [end p2]
Interviewer
Prime Minister, when you saw Mr Haughey did you refer to that interview by the Irish Foreign Minister which discussed the constitutional future of Northern Ireland within the context of Irish unity?
PM
Yes, I was very distressed by it. It does not reflect what is the view that had been taken on our talks and I made it very clear that it did not reflect my belief and therefore we issued our own statement. The position is exactly as it was.
Interviewer
Finally, Prime Minister, do you sometimes feel embattled and isolated. Britain seems to be at odds with the Common Market partners this time on the issues of steel, fisheries, farm prices, do you feel that our position is drifting away from the Community?
PM
No. No, I would not have said that. We are all concerned about unemployment and therefore we have to try to meet again, sometimes the Commission, sometimes other members of other Councils, to try to see if we can do more to try to solve that problem. We are all concerned now to get a Common Fisheries Agreement. We are all concerned now to get agreement in good time on agricultural policy, which is not only prices it is other things as well which also concern our farmers. Yes, of course, we do have disagreements with one another but there really was a tremendous willingness to go ahead urgently on themes that need solving and for that reason we did advance some Councils. That isn't disagreement, that is saying—look, we have got some problems, let's try to make arrangements to make sure they are properly sorted out so everyone's interests are properly protected.