David Walter
(ITN) Prime Minister, do you think that at this stage the deployment of Cruise is in fact inevitable?
Mrs. Thatcher
I believe myself it is because I cannot see the Russians agreeing to zero option by the end of December. I hope nevertheless we will continue the talks after that because even though they don't agree to go down to nil on SS20s, I hope they'll agree to take some down so that not all the Cruise and Pershings need to be deployed.
D. Walter
Are you not in fact more resolute about it than the Dutch?
Mrs. Thatcher
No, I think we all agree that we simply must carry out the NATO resolution, all peoples I think throughout the whole of the NATO world, recognise how valuable NATO has been to keeping the peace for a far longer period in Europe than we've had for a long time and it's important therefore that when we make decisions we all stick to them and deploy on time.
D. Walter
You also discussed the Soviet airliner with the Dutch Prime Minister. How much does it worry you that it's the Greek Foreign Minister who's going to put the EEC's case at the United Nations?
Mrs. Thatcher
Well, in view of what happened of course at the Council of Foreign Ministers, one is a little concerned but I believe nevertheless that the Greek Foreign Minister, when he speaks to the United Nations and knowing that he's speaking for Europe, will take fully into account the views of other European countries, indeed it would be totally wrong if he didn't.
D. Walter
You are angry nonetheless that the Greeks took the line that they did?
Mrs. Thatcher
I didn't understand why the whole of humanity didn't cry out against that terrible atrocity.
D. Walter
It's being alleged today, turning to another aspect of your talks, that the senior officer who came out of Beirut did so because he felt that the British troops were not getting enough support there, is there any truth in that?
Mrs. Thatcher
As far as I am aware, none whatsoever. Nor do I think it would stand up even if it had been said, but I know of no such allegations and may I make it perfectly clear that we put, as you know, six Buccaneer aircraft into Cyprus, to make sure that our 96 people in the Lebanon had effective support. [end p1]
D. Walter
How long can we stay there though in the way that we are at the moment, won't we either have to reinforce further or pull out?
Mrs. Thatcher
I have only got a very small number of people in there, we are very stretched in the duties that we carry out around the world and when I was asked to put them in I said it would only be a symbolic number and we simply cannot put any more in. May I say that we work very well with the others in the multinational force and I think also that before the Buccaneers arrived the … some of the American forces saw that we had sufficient protection.
D. Walter
Does that mean that we might pull out before long?
Mrs. Thatcher
If there was any question of pulling out we would have to consider it all together and you have to consider it bearing in mind that Lebanon is a full member of the United Nations and she's got an elected government at the moment. She's got Lebanese armed forces and they're struggling to try to restore order, again as … . the Lebanese armed forces consist of both Christian and Muslims so it's not being done in a partial way at all but in an impartial way—it is a very serious situation, I really underline that but I think it would make matters worse if we were to pull out at the moment. But we consult together in the multinational force.
D. Walter
You've also been looking forward to the next EEC summit, do you think you're going to have to go there and bang on the table and have another row with your Common Market partners?
Mrs. Thatcher
I'm afraid it will be a battle but I think it will be a battle for everyone because we've really got to try to reform the Common Agricultural Policy to see that it doesn't run away with as much money as it's taking at the moment. If it took less we might get more on some of the industrial policies, that would help us and there are many many regions of the Community which would like to see more spent on social matters and on creating more jobs for young people.
D. Walter
Could I ask you finally about your own health, people did say that you didn't look too well when you appeared on Dutch television the other day, is your eye better, are you feeling completely well?
Mrs. Thatcher
I'm fine, I think the people who said that are whistling in the dark.
D. Walter
Thank you very much.
Mrs. Thatcher
Thank you.