Prime Minister
Ladies and Gentlemen. First, as this is my last press conference in Czechoslovakia, I would like to say thank you for the very kind welcome I have received and for the generous hospitality on the part of both government and people. Thank you very much.
These peoples have won their great battle for freedom brilliantly, courageously and decisively. They now wish to have the economic back-up for freedom, which of course is a market economy, they know what they want to do but not yet quite how to do it.
They wish to have training for their young people both in the latest technological industries and in management. That we can provide through the British Council, in our technical colleges and universities.
In addition to the group of British people who are here to advise on privatisation, the governments here would like to have a group of entrepreneurs to show them how to do things our way and possibly to start up in both parts of Czechoslovakia. That we can arrange for them to come and to see you.
There are, I think, three points to be made in seeing the way ahead. First, on the side of the economy, is to join the IMF and the World Bank, which is how the Western economy works, so that [end p1] Czechoslovakia can have the benefit of their advice, and that I understand is being done.
Second, as you are now a democracy, to become a member of the Council of Europe, which is the seventeen countries of Europe whose condition of membership in the Council is that each is a democracy, and that will be open to you to join very soon.
And third, in negotiating an Association Agreement with the European Community, I hope you will make it clear to them, and they will make it clear to you, that full membership is open when the necessary economic changes have occurred. That way, you become a member of a larger grouping of nations, each with democratic ideals and a free market economy, but each retaining its own culture which is vital for its national character and for the variety which is essentially European.
Finally, now we no longer speak in the language of East and West Europe, but in the language of democratic Europe and the wider Europe, this part of the world has once again become the centre of European activities and should regain its rightful place in that role which it has carried out through the ages. So you are no longer on the fringes, but back in the centre.
I wish your politicians and people well in all their endeavours. [end p2]
Question (Czechoslovak TV)
Mrs Prime Minister, what do you think are the main reasons of national problems in Eastern European countries, do you think they can threaten the new democracies in this region, and also the relations with Western countries?
Prime Minister
The main problem is that they have been under the communist system which snuffs out all individuality, all enterprise, all initiative, all sense of personal responsibility. All of these things have to be regained, which means an enormous change in attitude in a short time. They can be regained and if you come to us we can show you that it works. I believe that in my remarks I indicated the way ahead for the relationship with the West.
Question
We know that in Europe the feelings for the welcome for the reunification of Germany is also accompanied by fears of the political and economic powers of a reunited Germany, what is your opinion of this problem?
Prime Minister
I think of course there is a certain amount of apprehension because whereas before unification there were four main nations of approximately the same size, in future there will be one that is very much bigger than the others and one with a very powerful industrial base. [end p3]
Nevertheless, it is up to us, I think, to see that Europe with all its ideals and its idea of a single market works and I believe we shall be able to do that. After all, we ourselves are not without influence, nor is France, nor Spain, nor the other countries in European matters, and we are quite ready to speak up.
Question
Will the rapid integration of Czechoslovakia into the Common Market, as you have suggested, prevent some people in America and even some in Europe from thinking that Czechoslovakia should serve as a kind of buffer zone between East and West?
Prime Minister
First, I do not think that the integration into the Community will be very rapid because it will depend upon your coming to a full market economy and you are very well aware of the difficulties of that. But it can be achieved, but it will not be a very quick process.
When you start to talk of buffer zones, you are really talking in defence terms, rather more in democratic terms. I think in defence terms, NATO is our defence organisation and the wider political organisation, now that the Soviet Union is coming to democracy, is the organisation, the CSCE, otherwise known as the Helsinki Accords, we shall use both. But it would be up to Czechoslovakia to decide whether she wanted to join when the economic conditions were fulfilled. [end p4]
Question
I would like to know if the opinion expressed by your former Minister, Mr Ridley, concerning the unification of Germany was an isolated opinion or whether this opinion has a broader support in Great Britain?
Prime Minister
I have expressed the opinion, which I think would find support among our people. Unification of Germany is going to take place, Germany has been and will continue to be a loyal member of NATO and a full member of the European Community, and as I have indicated, there are many of the rest of us in the European Community who can also make our feelings felt and our voices heard.
Finally, can I thank our brilliant and patient interpreter?