(1) Thatcher Archive: FCO transcript

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The Prime Minister’s visit to Paris, 29 July 1987: Press Conference at Hotel Matignon

Following is the text of the Prime Minister’s statement, and answers to questions, at a press conference at the Hotel Matignon, Paris, at 1645 hours today following her meeting with the French Prime Minister Mr Chirac.

“I think it’s a very important day in that politicians, parliaments and people have cleared away all the obstacles, which had to be done before permission could be given to go ahead with building a Channel Tunnel. That has been done, and now it’s over to industry and the financiers to provide the means to go ahead and build it. I feel it’s very exciting because our generation has inherited a good deal from our ancestors and it’s up to us to try to create something new and exciting for further generations.”

“As the Prime Minister has said, we have also taken the opportunity of discussing the big issues of the day – the arms control negotiations and East/West relations, and European relations, and also Iran/Iraq matters.”

Question

Minesweeping operations in the Gulf, American requests?

PM

We were not getting into that kind of detail, we were very much concerned with the Security Council Resolution and with what each of us is doing separately to protect our own ships. We in Britain have had a patrol in the Gulf since the beginning of the year – before that we [end p2] have had two ships ever since 1980, but outside the Gulf, called the Armilla Patrol. Those have been augmented and there are now three ships and they’re operating inside the Gulf. They protect our own shipping and since the beginning of this year they have protected something like 150 of our vessels going up and down the Gulf. And France has her own ahd the United States has her own. Of course we discussed the wider matters of the Gulf but we did not come to any further conclusions.

Question

Any differences detected between French and British positions on foreign policy issued discussed – or have Britain and France moved closer together in recent weeks? (The Times)

PM

I have already said a few words about the Iran/Iraq matter and of course the Prime Minister will say just exactly what is his viewpoint about protecting French ships. I think we’re very very close on East/West matters over the arms control agreements – very very close indeed. We are of course the two countries in Europe who have the independent nuclear deterrent and that gives us a particular closeness. You will be aware of some of the differences on Europe but the differences are small compared with the loyalty to the European Community.

Question

Iraqi request to reconvene Security Council to adopt sanctions against Iraq? (The Times)

PM

We made it perfectly clear, before the initial resolution of the Security Council, that if it were not honoured we would be prepared to go to mandatory sanctions on arms against the party which did not honour it. The question therefore is one of timing. At the moment, Mr Perez De Cuellar is either there or is on his way there to see what he can do, and the rejection of the resolution has not been absolute, as you are aware. So therefore the time [end p3] has not yet come. It is still a time for Mr Perez De Cuellar to see what he can do - if there’s any possibility of bringing about, in effect, a ceasefire or helping with a ceasefire in the Gulf. If that fails, then the time will come, if the motion is specifically rejected, to go back to the Security Council: but the time is not yet.

(2) The Times, 30 July 1987

Thatcher backs demand for sanctions on Iran

Mrs Thatcher yesterday gave qualified support to Iraqi pressure for mandatory UN sanctions against Iran for its alleged failure to respond to international calls for a ceasefire in the Gulf war.

Commenting on Iraq's call for a new session of the Security Council to consider Iran's failure to respect last week's resolution on a ceasefire, Mrs Thatcher said yesterday that Britain had made it clear that, if it was not honoured, Britain was prepared to adopt mandatory sanctions on arms sales.

However, she said, it was all a question of timing. Britain did not yet feel that Iran's rejection of the resolution was absolute, and was still waiting to see whether the United Nations Secretary-General, Señor Javier Perez de Cuéllar, could bring about a ceasefire.

If those efforts failed, Britain would feel it was time to return to the Security Council

Mrs Thatcher was speaking at a press conference after talks with M. Jacques Chirac, the French Prime Minister. M. Chirac said he shared Mrs Thatcher's point of view on the ceasefire resolution.

The French aircraft carrier task force, which has been on standby in Toulon since last Sunday, is due to sail today “for a mission of protection of our (France's) interests in the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean” .

The order came after talks between President Mitterrand and M. Chirac, as the crisis between France and Iran remained in deadlock 12 days after France broke off diplomatic relations with Iran.

M. Jean-Bernard Raimond, the French Foreign Minister, reported to yesterday's Cabinet meeting that there was “no new development” despite Monday's formalization of an agreement for Pakistan to look after Iran's interests in Paris and for Italy to look after France's interests in Tehran.

French and Iranian diplomats remain blockaded in their respective embassies in Tehran and Paris, while France continues to refuse to compromise on the issue of Mr Wahid Gordji, the unofficial number two at the Iranian Embassy, who is wanted for questioning about suspected involvement in last year's bombing campaign in Paris.

The task force consists of the 30,000-ton aircraft carrier Clémenceau, equipped with 40 fighter aircraft including 20 Super-Etendards capable of carrying Exocet missiles; two frigates, Suffren and Duquesne, equipped with missile launchers; and a supply ship, Meuse.