Mr Major’s Joint Doorstep with Ruud Lubbers – 7 November 1991

Below is Mr Major’s joint doorstep interview with Ruud Lubbers, held in Rome on Thursday 7th November 1991.

QUESTION:

What are you hoping to cover at this summit meeting?

PRIME MINISTER:

I think there are a number of important things to discuss at this meeting this week. Clearly it is an opportunity to reaffirm the primacy of NATO, I think that is central to what we will agree this week, and we clearly have to look at the emerging situation in central and Eastern Europe, that is a matter of very great importance. We need to determine in the changed circumstances one has seen over the past two years or so what the future strategy of NATO is going to be. I think they are the areas that we will spend some time discussing, they are extremely important, and I think we will reach conclusions that will be satisfactory to everyone.

QUESTION:

Mr Major, have you asked Mr Lubbers to organise a second European Summit?

PRIME MINISTER:

Nobody knows whether a second European Summit will be necessary, I very much doubt it, he is such a good President that we are confident that there will be great progress made and I hope we will reach agreement.