John Fraser, IRN
Prime Minister, first of all, could I ask you how important is it to improve the decision-making proceedings of the Common Market? What is wrong with the way the EEC has worked until this historic agreement?
Prime Minister
Well, first I think we were a bit slow. Then, on many many things we have to act by agreement of everyone. Now that means, for example, unless everyone agrees that you can sell insurance in every country in the Community, that our people who are particularly good cannot sell life insurance over there as they can over here. So it only needs one person to stop that. So you had to change the voting from unanimity to a qualified majority, and that is what we have been doing on some things.
And then, on industrial standards, people can stop something from going in by a particular standard, and we had to deal with that as well, because these are all things which stop trade and if you stop trade then you make it more difficult for Britain. [end p1]
John Fraser, IRN
You have had a very very difficult … . It lasted far longer than had been expected and there was a lot of technical detail to be waded through. You said at the last summit in Milan that you did not want things done this way. Do you think that you have been proved right?
Prime Minister
Of course I think I have been proved right, but some of the arguments just went on and on and on and on and on. You know, if it had been women arguing, someone would have said “Oh, just like women!” and actually you know it was an overwhelming majority of men. It could have been done much more quickly in my view, but everyone had to have their say and, of course, we had our say too.
John Fraser, IRN
The Common Market leaders have now reached broad political agreement but nonetheless Denmark says that it is holding a reserve on the entire package; Italy is worried about certain bits of it; you yourself are worried about certain bits of it. Is it not a bit like a Swiss cheese, full of holes?
Prime Minister
Look! You know, sometimes you have air-holes to breathe, so that is not a bad thing to have a few reserves. I think it is a little bit ironic that it was Italy that called for an Inter-Governmental Conference at Milan and Italy has got [end p2] most reserves on it. Denmark, of course, has a constitutional problem and that is fully understood and her government has not got a majority; and Denmark will always do her best to cooperate, provided her very special interests are respected and she has done that and we have seen that our very special interests are respected because, for example, we have special provisions on plants and animals, as you know, because we are an island and we do not get many of these diseases. Therefore we have to have certain restrictions that do not apply to the rest of the Community, and it has been our task to see that we continue to have those.
John Fraser, IRN
So are you now confident that you will be able to keep rabies, terrorism and drug smugglers out of Britain?
Prime Minister
Yes, I am confident about those things.
John Fraser, IRN
Also, Prime Minister, there has been some concern amongst the Irish about some remarks made by Tom King, stating that there will never be a united Ireland. Do you share that view? [end p3]
Prime Minister
You know what is says in article number one of the Anglo-Irish Accord that we have all signed, those of us who have been involved in the negotiations, and which Tom KingTom is in full agreement with, as am I, that so long as there is a majority in Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland will stay part of the United Kingdom—so long as there is a majority. That is always in accordance with what we signed.
I think Tom and I both hope and expect there will continue to be a majority and that Northern Ireland will continue to be part of the United Kingdom. That is the way we would like it, but it will be because there is a majority.
John Fraser, IRN
But the Irish are a bit worried that you have entered into this contract and suddenly there is the word “never” emerging.
Prime Minister
The contract is just exactly as it was when we signed it and it will depend on a continuing majority in Northern Ireland. I believe we shall have that.
John Fraser, IRN
You met Dr. FitzGerald today. Are you getting on well now?
Prime Minister
We are getting on. Yes, we are getting on all right. [end p4] We are quietly wanting to implement the Agreement, because we believe it will be to the benefit of all the people in Northern Ireland and you know, that is our objective—to get peace and stability there.