Mr Major’s Doorstep Interview in Essen – 10 December 1994

Below is the text of Mr Major’s doorstep interview in Essen, held on Saturday 10th December 1994.

QUESTION:

Prime Minister, how has the summit gone for Britain and has there been any progress on Bosnia?

PRIME MINISTER:

I think the summit is proving extremely successful and I think that will be apparent in the conclusions on fraud, the conclusions on Northern Ireland and the whole tenor of the debate that we have had about economic matters. The whole agenda is much more attractive to the British point of view that it has been in previous years, so I am very pleased about that.

QUESTION:

Was any progress made on Bosnia last night?

PRIME MINISTER:

The Bosnia situation is as it was. We have made the position clear for some time and there is no dispute about that amongst colleagues here. We very much wish the United Nations protection forces to stay there and to continue their humanitarian work, but there is a general recognition that it might become impossible for them to do so, if it does become impossible they will have to leave. I hope very much that that will not be the case, we would like them to stay, we would like to see progress on the diplomatic front, we would like to see an end to the fighting, an end to the killing and a proper settlement and I think that is a view universally held at this summit.

QUESTION:

Has the success of the fraud initiative allowed you to put troubles at home behind you now?

PRIME MINISTER:

I hope so. The fraud initiative certainly has been successful, as I think you will see when you read the conclusions later.