Questioner (1)
How do you think the festival will help our relations with the Russians, Prime Minister?
MT
I hope that it will improve them. I have read various things that have been said but when I was in Moscow I went to see the Bolshoi Ballet and I'm delighted they were over here and I expect that various of the artistic groups will be over here several times.
Questioner (1)
But does it need more than artistic freedom to improve things?
MT
Uh, we are working at more than artistic freedom. But it takes a long time to build up trust and confidence, particularly when even Russia herself after seventy years of revolution is saying that the results haven't been anything like as good as they should have been, either for individual men and women in their freedom and dignity or for their standard of living. So, they know too that the early hope has not been borne out.
Questioner (2)
Tries unsuccessfully to interruptPrime Minister …
MT
But we know too … but we know too from the Helsinki Accords, that they are not honoured. So it takes a long time to trust someone.
Do you think I could now SEE the pictures. [Laughter.] Particularly of John Knox. [Laughter. MT moves away].