Germany: No.10 conversation record (MT, Hurd, Professor Gordon Craig, Profesor Fritz Stern, Lord Dacre, Professor Norman Stone, Timothy Garton-Ash, George Urban) [analysis of the anticipated role and character of a united Germany in Europe] [declassified Dec 2016]
| Document type: | Declassified documents |
|---|---|
| Source: | PREM19/3000 f39 |
| Editorial comments: | Read other documents selected from this file. The full file from which this item is taken can be seen here - PREM19-3000. Notwithstanding Powell's strictures in the covering note, this record leaked to the Sunday Independent on 15 July 1990 which published it in full, minus the covering note. In Charles Moore's biography of MT it is suggested that the leak was "almost certainly by Ridley's aides", citing an interview with Charles Powell. Ridley's resignation took place the previous day, 14 July, MT sending Powell to convey to Ridley the need for him to resign at which the latter was "very bitter" (v3 p552). The leak, Powell believed, "was his comeback for being fired". In 1996 Norman Stone discussed his memories of the event in the Sunday Times. |
| Importance ranking: | Key |
| Word count: | 8pp |
| Themes: | MT's meetings as PM, Foreign Secretary’s meetings, Charles Powell minutes, Conservatism, Media, Religion & morality, British relations with the US, British relations with the Soviet Union, British relations with France, British relations with the Federal Republic of Germany, German unification, 1989-90, Foreign policy (USA), Foreign policy (USSR & successor states), Foreign policy (Central & Eastern Europe), Foreign policy (International organizations), European Union (general), Foreign policy - theory and process, Defence (general) |
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