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PM has said Britain is considering financial measures against Iran to persuade them to release US hostages, but didn't say what they would be. MT speaking to reporters in New York, on last stage her visit to US, as Clive Small reports: [end p1]
Clive Small
At informal news conference, MT said she'd been impressed by President Carter 's stamina over Iranian crisis. He had asked Britain—with other western allies—to take one or two specific financial steps to pressure Iran. PM said she was considering them. Since seizure of the hostages, British trade with Iran had dropped heavily, and British government would do all it could to help US. If Britain ever found itself in America's position, she'd expect similar help. PM made clear President Carter couldn't offer immediate help on question of American arms for Royal Ulster Constabulary. She said three-thousand revolvers on order in the United States were still blocked because Carter administration had not finished its review of policy on this question. Was she disappointed? “We didn't dwell on the issue”, she said. On Rhodesia, PM said agreement was called it “a remarkable result. Britain had spent fifteen years seeking a settlement and it had taken fifteen weeks to get one”. MT said settlement wouldn't be trouble-free. But the parties wanted it, the Front Line States needed it, partly to repair battered economies. She thought, in general, Rhodesia agreement would work. On economy, MT said she'd had talks with Washington Officials—like Mr. Paul Volcker, Chairman Federal Reserve, about twin problems of inflation and recession. She said better leaders were needed to bring about better control on the money supply.