The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Tag: Germany

  • PMQT – 16 May 1991

    Below is the text of Prime Minister’s Question Time from 16th May 1991.

    PRIME MINISTER

     

    Engagements

    Q1. Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 16 May.

    The Prime Minister (Mr. John Major) : This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

    Mr. Hinchliffe : Does the Prime Minister agree that today’s unemployment figures prove conclusively that the Conservative party has one economic policy only–that of mass unemployment? Is it true that the Government intend to introduce some form of compulsory work scheme to reduce the numbers of jobless people in this country, or will he be following the example of his predecessor by adding to the 30 or so fiddles in the calculation of the number of unemployed? Or will he– [Interruption.]

    Mr. Speaker : Order. The hon. Member is taking a great deal of time from his colleagues.

    Mr. Hinchliffe : Or will the Prime Minister do what is in the best interests of his country, by resigning and making way for a Labour Government with a genuine strategy on jobs and industry?

    The Prime Minister : The hon. Gentleman is being both silly and graceless. I am as concerned about unemployment as the hon. Gentleman is, and it is precisely for that reason that I propose to continue with the policies to get inflation down, to ensure that there is a stable basis for the creation of jobs. There are a million extra jobs today than there were when the Conservative Government came to power and, in so far as making way for a Labour Government is concerned, as the right hon. and learned Member for Monklands, East (Mr. Smith) has said, because of Labour policy on the minimum wage people will lose their jobs.

    Sir Geoffrey Finsberg : Will my right hon. Friend give me an assurance that it is not part of his policy to increase taxation on earnings, unlike the Leader of the Opposition who proposes to increase tax on earnings for one in 15 people, the shadow Chancellor who intends to increase it for one in eight, or the people who are really master-minding the hidden Labour party agenda, who intend to increase taxes for everyone who earns?

    The Prime Minister : My hon. Friend is certainly correct that Labour Members seem to be in something of a muddle over their tax and spending figures. As the hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw)–who, alas, is not here at the moment–has said :

    “Yes, of course, in an ideal world we would like to do what the Liberal Democrats are saying and say yes, we’d increase taxation.”

    That is their official policy.

    Mr. Kinnock : If, as the Prime Minister claimed last Friday, his economic policies are working, why are 2,175,000 people in our country not working?

    The Prime Minister : The right hon. Gentleman is aware that the intention–and it is beginning to show clear signs of success–is to reduce inflation so that we may begin, yet again, to add to the 1 million jobs that we have created during the period of this Conservative Government. There is only one stable and sure way to create jobs and keep them–to keep inflation low, a policy which we shall pursue and he never could.

    Mr. Kinnock : The Prime Minister seems to forget that today’s unemployment figures show the highest April rise in unemployment since the war, that since he has been Prime Minister 3,000 people have lost their jobs every working day, that output is down and that investment has plummeted by 20 per cent. over the year. When the Prime Minister’s policies are responsible for causing that huge damage, and when he has no answers and no policies to get out of it, is it not time that he went?

    The Prime Minister : If the right hon. Gentleman is genuinely concerned about unemployment, he should not advocate policies that will artificially increase it, such as the minimum wage. The Institute of Fiscal Studies said of his minimum wage policy :

    “If the point is to avoid people being poor this is an extraordinarily stupid way of doing it.”

    If he does not like the IFS, perhaps Mr. Joe Haines of the Daily Mirror is more to his taste. He said :

    “The minimum wage proposals won’t work and if they do, won’t help.”

    Sir Gerard Vaughan : Will my right hon. Friend visit, in the near future, a hospital that has opted out? Does he agree that yesterday Lord McColl explained clearly the benefits to patients when a hospital opts out– putting patients before bureaucracy?

    The Prime Minister : I am grateful to my hon. Friend. I will also explain to people in the vicinity that when a hospital opts out, it opts out of bureaucracy and not out of the national health service–contrary to the dishonest literature passed around by the Labour candidate for Monmouth, which the right hon. Member for Islwyn (Mr. Kinnock) should repudiate.

     

    Q2. Mr. McAvoy : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 16 May.

    The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

    Mr. McAvoy rose — [Interruption.]

    Mr. Speaker : Order. Let us settle down.

    Mr. McAvoy : Conservative Members seem very nervous. In 1979, the Tories promised that, if elected, they would not double VAT, but once elected they increased it from 8 to 15 per cent. On Tuesday, the Prime Minister failed to answer a question on future levels of VAT. Can this simple and honest Prime Minister give a simple and honest answer to the question? If the Tories are re-elected, will they further increase VAT?

    The Prime Minister : The hon. Gentleman graciously concedes that we shall be in a position to decide that at the next general election, but I want no lectures on value added tax from the party which put tax on children’s sweets, even though its leader did not know it.

    Mr. Stevens rose — [Interruption.]

    Mr. Speaker : Order. I ask the House to settle down.

    Mr. Stevens : Does my right hon. Friend agree that the right way to raise the status of teachers is by giving them a pay review body, rather than reducing their take-home pay by increasing their tax?

    The Prime Minister : I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. Our purpose in introducing a review body was to raise the status of teachers, and I believe that teachers across the country will accept that. The Opposition’s policy, on the other hand, is entirely clear–to take away parental choice and, as the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) has admitted, to increase taxation on a large number of teachers.

     

    Q3. Mr. Salmond : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 16 May.

    The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

    Mr. Salmond : Has the Prime Minister heard of the great gas robbery? Is he aware that, last week, the Government gave permission for the development of up to 12 North sea fields to take gas from off the coast of Aberdeen straight to the north-east of England to generate cheap electricity, and that that will be done with public support through offsets against petroleum revenue tax? Why, under the right hon. Gentleman’s Administration, is Scotland set to become the first country in history to pay international oil companies to take away its most valuable natural resource?

    The Prime Minister : The hon. Gentleman might make some acknowledgement of the tremendous asset to Scotland that investment there has been–not least by the oil and gas industries.

     

    German Chancellor

    Q4. Mr. Hunter : To ask the Prime Minister when he will next meet the Chancellor of Germany ; and what subjects he intends to discuss with him.

    The Prime Minister : I expect to see the Chancellor next at the European Council in Luxembourg on 28 and 29 June, when we shall discuss whatever business is before the Council.

    Mr. Hunter : In the course of his continuing dialogue with Chancellor Kohl, has my right hon. Friend found grounds to believe that effective common European foreign, defence and security policies are attainable, or have the events of a few months ago demonstrated that, at least for the time being, they are unattainable?

    The Prime Minister : What is entirely clear is that, whatever may be decided, NATO must remain the core of our defence for the future, and that includes beyond any doubt the continued presence in Europe of United States and Canadian forces. But I think that there is scope for improving the co- operation of European views within NATO and the effectiveness of the European response outside the NATO area. We have put forward detailed proposals for both in the intergovernmental conferences.

    Mr. Wareing : As it is believed that Herr Karl Otto Poehl is about to offer his resignation as president of the Bundesbank, will the Prime Minister be telling the German Chancellor that he is about to offer a free transfer to Mr. Leigh-Pemberton, the Governor of the Bank of England, and offer him to the German Chancellor free of charge?

    The Prime Minister : No, Sir.

    Mr. Ian Taylor : When my right hon. Friend meets the German Chancellor, will he discuss the implications of the recent European Commission decision to intervene in German industry to remove the subsidies that the west German Government have been paying to west German industry for some years? And is not that a sign that the Single European Act and the single market are working very effectively and levelling the playing field for the benefit of Britain?

    The Prime Minister : I hope and believe that that is the case. We certainly wish to see the continued reduction of subsidies throughout Europe.

     

    Engagements

    Q5. Mr. Loyden : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 16 May.

    The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.

    Mr. Loyden : Does the Prime Minister agree or disagree with the chief executive of Alderhey hospital, who has told the district health authorities that any district health authority paying an additional £7,500 will be guaranteed not to wait more than 12 months for surgery to be performed on children sent to that hospital? Is not that a clear indication that the Government have completely abandoned the national health service principle of treatment when it is needed and also any pretence of providing other than a two-tier service that will deprive children of surgery at the time when they need it?

    The Prime Minister : The hon. Gentleman is being very cheap and wholly inaccurate. There is no question of a two-tier health service. The hon. Gentleman may find what was said recently by a doctor on “Newsnight” interesting. He said :

    “I don’t accept that there’ll be any priority given”–

    [Interruption.] I know that right hon. and hon. Members do not like listening to alternative views, but it would do them good to do so occasionally. The doctor said :

    “I don’t accept that there’ll be any priority given in where the patients are treated at all. My enthusiasm for GP fund-holding is based on”–

    [Interruption.] The hon. Gentleman should listen. The doctor said :

    “My enthusiasm is based on the belief that because I know my patients and because I know the resources in the health service and because I care about the patients, I’m in the best position to use the resources in a wise and helpful way”.

    That is the view of people treating patients, and it is better than the hon. Gentleman’s.

    Mr. Burt : Bearing in mind the adverse criticism directed so often in the past against English football supporters, does my right hon. Friend share my pleasure not only in Manchester United’s excellent result last night against Barcelona but in the behaviour of its supporters? Does he agree with me that, good though the quality of the play was, it is likely to be bettered on Sunday in the third division play-off by Bury football club against Bolton Wanderers?

    The Prime Minister : I think that I should be in very considerable danger if I answered the last part of that question. With regard to the first part, however, I am glad to join my hon. Friend in congratulating Manchester United, and not only on the performance of its team.

    Mr. Kinnock : “Up the Reds!”

    The Prime Minister : Well, on some occasions, maybe. I congratulate Manchester United not only on the performance of its team but on the behaviour of its supporters, which gave an excellent example in Europe that I look forward to seeing followed by British teams throughout Europe when they lift, I hope, a number of trophies next year.

  • Mr Major’s Joint Press Conference with Chancellor Kohl – 11 March 1991

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s joint press conference with Chancellor Kohl, held in Bonn on Monday 11th March 1991.

    CHANCELLOR KOHL:

    Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen. We have just concluded the Anglo-German consultations with a plenary meeting. Before we address the individual subjects please allow me to make a general remark.

    In the 100 days since Prime Minister Major has taken office an almost unusually friendly relationship and working relationship has developed between the two of us and I am very grateful for that because I think that particularly during these decisive weeks during the Gulf War this has been a very, very important thing for us and I can only say that the personal chemistry between the two of us works excellently and at the same time this is an expression of the very close and friendly relations between the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany.

    Of course in a number of issues we may be of different opinion, there are many things which we have to discuss if you just only think of the developments within the European Community, but that is a normal thing we think between friends and partners and it does not change anything as far as our, as I said, almost unusually friendly relations are concerned.

    The last month has shown very clearly that there is no alternative at all to a politically strong Europe and to a very close alliance and partnership with our American friends. It is our wish as the Federal Republic of Germany and the Federal Government that the United Kingdom be playing its important and central role in this work of the integration of Europe. The Prime Minister and the individual Ministers have addressed the far ranging issues.

    I would like to mention as the first issue the Gulf conflict. I once again thanked the Prime Minister and his government for the involvement of British troops in the Gulf War together with France, the United States and 25 other nations on behalf of the community of nations, you have liberated Kuwait of a brutal occupation, you have fought for international rights and you have now made enormous sacrifices so that we Germans too many live in a peaceful world.

    In the context of the Gulf conflict we addressed a number of issues. As regards the Middle East and its problems we have agreed that solutions for the conflict must come first of all from the region itself, that we must now create a durable and lasting order of peace and that included in this is the respect for the right of self-determination of the Palestinians and the right of existence of Israel within secure borders. We think that the United Nations has to take a central role here in this whole context and what is important too is that the constructive cooperation between the United Kingdom and the United States which has proved itself, and also the EC incidentally which proved itself, will continue.

    We have talked also about the situation in central and Eastern Europe and South Eastern Europe and also about the situation in the Soviet Union. As you know, the Prime Minister has just spent a few days in the Soviet Union, he sent an exhaustive report on these talks to me right after his meetings and we addressed the subject too here today. But we both agree that what is important now is to confirm the Soviet leadership in its reform course, what is necessary here is that they must not relent in their efforts. This is also in our interest. We talked about incidentally also the situation in Yugoslavia, about the situation which we are somewhat concerned, the difficulties there. I talked about the visit of the Polish Prime Minister here only recently.

    Then we addressed a number of issues belonging to European policy, we talked about the inter-governmental conferences leading up to economic and monetary and political union. We know that we have quite a way to go there, we know that there are differences of opinion here, but the two of us have very clearly demonstrated that we have an interest in working together in order to remove final obstacles and to promote this idea, this work of integration. In this context I underlined the thrust of the Federal Republic of Germany, it is important that both conferences make progress in parallel and will both be concluded at the same time. After the individual Cabinet Ministers gave their report, we agreed that the consultations between the respective Ministers on both sides are to be intensified.

    In one word we agree that on the road towards Europe the United Kingdom is a very important partner for us Germans and will remain so and that this partnership and this friendship will be something which will be taken care of very carefully by us.

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Ladies and Gentlemen, Chancellor Kohl has given you a very full account of our talks today and I have only a few points that I would wish to add.

    Firstly, perhaps I can thank you, Helmut, for you hospitality today and that of your colleagues. I know that all our colleagues believe the Summit has been a very successful and equally important I believe a very friendly occasion. It is particularly significant as the first Anglo-German Summit since the unification of Germany and perhaps I can repeat again how much Britain welcomed that historic event and how warmly we congratulate you, Helmut, and Hans Dietrich Genscher for your part in bringing that about.

    You and I have had two meetings in the last few months and we have had the opportunity of very regular contact by telephone. We did keep in particularly close touch throughout the whole period of the Gulf conflict and perhaps I may repeat today Britain’s gratitude for the very generous financial contribution which Germany made to our very considerable costs in the Gulf operation.

    In our discussions today we were able to look ahead to the next stage. We agreed on the importance of regional security arrangements and of progress in resolving the Arab/Israeli dispute. We very much welcomed President Bush’s recent speech and agreed to support his efforts.

    We also discussed developments in the Soviet Union and my recent meeting with Mr Gorbachev. In that, too, we agree on the way ahead. We shall continue to encourage reform and support President Gorbachev for so long as he pursues reform. We also support the aspirations of the Baltic Republics, but we do believe that they can only be achieved through negotiation and we have both separately made that clear both to the Soviet authorities and also to the Baltic Republics themselves.

    We had the opportunity today of talking about developments in the European Community and in particular the inter-governmental conferences on political union and economic and monetary union. Both our governments have now tabled treaty texts and we were able to confirm that there was some important common ground between them, for instance on the need for economic convergence before trying to move beyond the second stage of economic and monetary union. We agreed that our experts should get together to align our views on this even more closely.

    We had a very good discussion on the important matter of co-operation on defence. We both want to see Europe have a common defence identity but we are equally clear that that must not be at the expense of NATO, NATO remains the cornerstone of defence and our closer European co-operation should take place within it, using the Western European Union as a bridge, and that is essential in our view to maintaining the United States’ commitment to Europe..

    We discussed the situation in South Africa, welcoming the very great progress which has been made towards abolishing the last traces of apartheid, we both want to see early progress on lifting the remaining sanctions against South Africa. We also had the opportunity of touching on Turkey, Yugoslavia, Romania and some other particularly difficult areas in Eastern Europe.

    In the Plenary Session we had reports from our Ministers on a variety of other points. I do not think it would be prudent to go through them all, nor indeed would we have time, but we did express particular satisfaction that the GATT negotiations are now under way once more in Geneva. Both our governments want to see these negotiations brought to a successful conclusion just as soon as possible.

    Let me just add finally that I think the message that emerges from this Summit is the extent and the warmth of the coming together in relationships between Britain and Germany. In Britain we are very pleased with this and we recognise the very important part which you, Helmut, have played personally in it and we wish to see it continue. I am sure myself that Europe is stronger when Britain, France and Germany are working together and Britain is playing a full part at the very centre of the European Community. So I believe these have been most useful discussions, a good day for Germany, a good day for Britain and a good day for Europe.

     

    QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

    QUESTION:

    Have the remarks of former Prime Minister, Maggie Thatcher, been helpful in your talks today and what role did they play?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    We were discussing my comments today on the relationship between our two countries and I think you have just heard what they were.

    QUESTION:

    As regards the Economic Union, you said that there is a certain kind of rapprochement between the two countries, particularly as regards the conditions for creating a Central Bank of Europe in the second phase. Do you think that is at all possible and that there is an even greater rapprochement between Bonn and London than between Bonn and Paris in this matter?

    CHANCELLOR KOHL:

    I don’t think that the development will run along the lines you indicate in your question, that there is going to be a sort of rapprochement on one side but not the same kind of commitment on the other side. I think John has put this very succinctly here and I will say it in my own words.

    It is very important for European development that France, the United Kingdom and Germany go together and make a common effort. Everyone knows that we have a lot of work, a lot of ground still to cover in Political Union as well as in Economic and Monetary Union but I would like you to consider the progress which we have already made since Rome.

    We have now, in March 1991, agreed that by the end of 1992 we conclude our business; that means that we are halfway along the road and we are thinking about a lot of things; we are thinking about the possibilities of striking compromises but let me say I have no doubt at all in my mind that we will complete things successfully. My aim is that we do this together. I do not want anyone to have the feeling that he is left out in the cold or being pushed into a corner which is why I do think that this is going to be a concerted joint effort.

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister, only a few days ago you met with President Gorbachev. How grave is the danger do you think for Western Europe in the case of failure of the Soviet President?

    The second question in this context is haven’t we, over the last weeks and months, forgotten a little bit in view of the Gulf War, the developments in Eastern Europe? Haven’t we neglected them?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I don’t believe we have neglected them. It is certainly true in terms of the public presentation that self-evidently what has been happening in the Gulf has been in the forefront of people’s minds but I don’t think the importance of what is happening in the Soviet Union has escaped from the mind either of the British Government or the German Government for a single moment – it clearly is very important.

    In the meeting I had last week with Mr Gorbachev, he made no secret of hiding the difficult decisions that exist there for him and no-one can be entirely certain how they will develop. What was clear to me is that he is a very formidable man facing up to this problems and that he has faced up to a lot of problems in the last few years and come through them successfully and I believe the position that Britain would take would be exactly the same position that Germany would take: for so long as Mr Gorbachev continues to pursue reform he will both deserve and enjoy our support and for so long as he continues reform we would very much hope that he remains in his present position in the Soviet Union.

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister, both implicitly and explicitly, you have been underlining the different approach that you are taking to the previous Prime Minister, so how much did you take into account the sort of things that she was saying this weekend?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I am not sure that I make quite the distinction that you make. If you actually consider the position in terms of Britain’s involvement in the Community ten or eleven years ago when Mrs Thatcher became Prime Minister, it was sharply less than that involvement in the Community that I inherited a few months ago. For example, a large part of the thrust for the Single Market was actually pursued by the British Government with Mrs Thatcher as Prime Minister. So I think sometimes the distinctions that people draw are inaccurate and I would not view them as you express them.

    QUESTION:

    Chancellor, do you think it all possible that joint units between the Federal Republic and the British Command can be instituted and that they can be operable outside of the NATO treaty area?

    CHANCELLOR KOHL:

    First of all, as regards the second part of your question, you know our constitution and the present situation there. Without a change in our constitution, which is under discussion now, a question leading in that direction is inconceivable.

    As to the future development, nobody can make any predictions there but I could envisage that at a later date developments could be initiated which would prepare the ground for something like that. Why not after all?

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister, to what extent did you discuss with Chancellor Kohl the details of your hard Ecu plan and how much agreement was there between the two of you on that?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    We did not discuss the details of that. As an ex-Finance Minister, I know that is best left to Finance Ministers and alas, as my Finance Minister is within days of a Budget he was not here today, so we are not discussing the particular details of the hard Ecu.

    We did run across the broad thrust of Economic and Monetary Union in the way I described a few moments ago, but we did not enter into the underlying and very technical detail.

    I indicated earlier the areas of agreement that actually exist between our texts. For example, if you take the substantive matters on Economic and Monetary Union, there is very considerable agreement about the emphasis on economic convergence before you move to the second stage – that is a vital agreement and it exists between ourselves and Germany. There is also agreement about the desirability for hardening the Ecu; we both have separate technical ways in which we think that can be brought about but that is implicit in both the British Treaty text and in the German treaty text.

    I think those are two very substantial areas of agreement which were not there some time ago and which are essential if we are to see our way through to a satisfactory conclusion. I share the view expressed by the Chancellor – I believe it will be possible to do that.

    QUESTION:

    Chancellor, do you agree with the Prime Minister in the assessment of European defence, that is to say in the fact that WEU is only under NATO auspices?

    CHANCELLOR KOHL:

    We have always maintained that NATO is indispensable and that even against the background of all that we are going to do for the foreseeable future we must find a system which allows us to completely include our American friends with whom we have entered into an alliance. I have never maintained or understood quite frankly the position as an “either/or” – on the one hand the Federal Republic of Germany and its relationship with the United States and on the other hand the Federal Republic of Germany and its relationship with our European friends – and that goes both for the British and the French. It is not an “either/or” situation; it is always a situation of both involved being here and I can’t quite understand this discussion because during the CSCE Summit meeting in Paris, we quite agreed as to how we saw the future common European house where both Canadians and Americans have a very firm place indeed, a very firm foothold.

    QUESTION:

    Could I ask the Prime Minister another question about Mrs Thatcher’s recent statements? You keep saying there aren’t any differences with Mrs Thatcher and she keeps banging on about Germany dominating the rest of Europe and you don’t seem to be doing that. Therefore, can I ask you straightforwardly do you think Germany is about to dominate the rest of Europe, yes or no?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    You may ask your question as you wish to ask it; I will exercise the freedom to answer it as I wish to answer it!

    I think there is a development in Europe; the development in Europe affects both Germany and the United Kingdom and I think it is important that we develop together and both play an important part in the centre of the Community. I have made that clear on a number of occasions and all being well, I hope to make it clear again in a speech in half an hour’s time.

    CHANCELLOR KOHL:

    John, I would be very disappointed if Mr. Marsh had not asked a question as to Mrs Thatcher’s view on all this and when you come back again he is going to ask again and this is something for which we highly estimate him!

    QUESTION (John Sergeant, BBC):

    Could I ask the Chancellor, are you disappointed that the British Government have not accepted the aim of a single currency in Europe?

    CHANCELLOR KOHL:

    I do not have the impression that the British Government is at all disappointed; the British Prime Minister said earlier on that we both work along those lines which allow us to attain this objective and one cannot expect that during these few hours which we have that all problems can be solved. Thank God, we have time now and we will use it to come to a reasonable result.

    QUESTION (Nick Gowing, Channel 4 News):

    Prime Minister, you have said that Europe will be stronger with Germany and France together with Britain at the heart of Europe. I am wondering how far you believe that message is now getting through to the rest of Europe, that you feel that your partners now believe that Britain is at the heart of Europe?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Nick, it is a good question but I think the people to answer that question are the rest of Europe and not me. I hope they accept that that is the case. We have been members off the European Community for a long time. Because we are at the heart of the Community and in my view must stay so, does not necessarily mean we will agree with everything that all our colleagues may say and do and equally, they will exercise the same freedom to disagree with us, but the Community will be infinitely stronger, I think, with Britain, France and Germany all clearly in the centre of it working for the future of the Community and I believe that is the way ahead for us.

    CHANCELLOR KOHL:

    John, may I add something if you allow? If the relationship between Bonn and Paris is not on a good footing then people tell us: “You have not done your homework!”. If the relationship is a good one, they accuse us of being too close and forming a sort of axis. If the relationship with London is not a good one, they ask us: “Why are you not doing more in order to improve them?”, if the relationship is a very good one, they accuse us of wanting to dominate others.

    We do not want to dominate anyone, not at all. We know that Europe can only come about if we all show respect for one another. This is not a question of quantity – I am speaking here about the size of the countries – but a question of quality of the input into Europe and that is a very important principle, but isn’t it a good thing if you can write in your newspapers: “They get along fine!”? I think that is a good piece of news, isn’t it?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Bad news for them. [Laughter].

    QUESTION (Reuters):

    A question to both Foreign Ministers. The French Foreign Minister, Roland Dumas, has said one should convene a special Summit for the European Community in order to think about the consequences of the Gulf War and the possibilities of how to bring about peace in the aftermath of that war? Would you agree to that, both Foreign Ministers?

    MR GENSCHER:

    First of all, I would like to underline that the British Prime Minister has said. We and France as well support the views held and expressed by President George Bush in his recent speech and we also support the endeavours of Secretary Baker. I think that we can state today that over the past few hours Europe and the United States have never held as similar views as regards the settlement of problems in the Near and the Middle East as now. There is a great convergence here and I think that the European powers should now try to draw a record of the developments over the past few months and we will certainly be ready to participate in such a Summit meeting when it has been convened.

    QUESTION:

    When are you going to recognise the Baltic Republics as sovereign states and under what conditions?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I think I answered that in my statement earlier. I certainly said as much as I am going to.

    CHANCELLOR KOHL:

    The same goes for me!

  • Mr Major’s Speech at RAF Bruggen in Germany – 11 February 1991

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s speech at RAF Bruggen in Germany, made on Monday 11th February 1991.

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I have got one piece of extremely good news for you and that is that I am going to be extremely brief and the reason I am going to be extremely brief is it is beginning to snow very heavily out there and I am told if I do not take off pretty soon, I will not take off at all! The thought of missing Questions in the House of Commons tomorrow is more than I could bear so I really think I had better be fairly brief because I suspect it would not only be embarrassing to me, it might be rather embarrassing to you if I was not able to take off at the end of this particular visit!

    Can I just say collectively what I have been able to say privately over the last few minutes and that is to express my thanks to all of you for everything you have done in the period since the beginning of August. I know that you have been involved in your different ways with your different skills right from the beginning of August; I know it has meant twelve-hour shifts; I know it meant that Christmas was a bit truncated this year with just Christmas Day; and I know the very deep personal commitment that many of you have had to ensuring the success of what goes on in the Gulf and the fact that many of you have been out there for a while and have now returned.

    I just want to say to you really two or three things very briefly:

    Firstly, it is not possible to express in words that will convey it accurately quite how much what has happened here is appreciated both by the air crews and the army who are actually out in the Gulf and also by the broad mass of people back at home in the United Kingdom who watch with the most immense pride the sheer scale of the logistical operation to ensure that we have all the servicemen properly equipped and properly able to do their job out in the Gulf. It has been a fantastic operation and I think many people back at home who perhaps do not always in other days have a full appreciation of the role of the armed forces, whether it be the RAF, the Navy or the Army, are beginning to see in a new light precisely the professionalism and the skill that is actually available to ensure that the work that is necessary to be done in the Gulf can be done.

    I need not, I think, elaborate at any length to you about why your colleagues are there but I believe quite passionately that it is right that they are there; that they are for an entirely just cause and that if we had not taken this problem head-on now at this time, that we would have had on our hands a far greater problem to solve within the next two or three years. One only has to see at close quarters the sheer scale and size of the Iraqi military machine to realise that that machine could not have been there for defensive purposes and that at some stage in the future we would have had to ask you and your colleagues to do a far bigger job even than the big job that you are in the process of dealing with so successfully at the present time.

    I cannot tell you how long this conflict will continue – I cannot tell you because I do not know – but I do know that it has gone supremely well so far; it has been handled with the most immense professionalism both by the servicemen who are out there engaged in the conflict and all the logistical back-up that you and many others have provided to enable them to carry on with that fighting.

    The other thing of which I am absolutely certain is this. Although there may be some doubt about when this conflict will end – and I cannot tell you that – there is not a shred of doubt about how it will end. There is no way that the Iraqis can win this conflict. Whatever particular circumstances there may be that will bring it to an end are uncertain – that, too, is not something we can be sure about at present – but the Iraqis and Saddam Hussein will have lost this conflict at the end of it and they will have lost it not just because of the enormous bravery that we have seen, particularly in those early days with the immensely brave sorties by the Tornados on airfields often against very heavy fire, but they will have lost it comprehensively because in every aspect of the profession of warfare they will have been beaten by the Allied Forces.

    I can only say in conclusion that I hope that happy day comes sooner rather than later and once it has been done, I assure you that we will be bringing your colleagues from the Gulf home just as speedily as we possibly can and I know you and their families will give them a very warm welcome; and I can assure you than when they and you come back to the United Kingdom as well, there will be a very warm welcome for you too.

    So thank you very much indeed for all you have done; thank you for making me so welcome today; and thank you for the work that I know you will continue to do between today and that happy day when the conflict is finally concluded. Thank you all very much indeed! [Applause].

     

    QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

    QUESTION:

    You spoke to Christine Ankerson. Can I ask you what that was like and what you said?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    It was a private discussion with Mrs. Ankerson and I do not wish to comment.

    QUESTION:

    Right! Can we return then to your meeting with Herr Kohl earlier? You come away clearly delighted – can you explain to us why?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    It was an extremely good meeting. There are a vast range of things to discuss with Herr Kohl, a vast series of areas where there is a common British and German interest; a great deal is happening in Europe and a great deal is happening elsewhere. We had the opportunity of running down a whole range of matters and we found a very satisfactory community of thought on a large number of them.

    QUESTION:

    Included in that, of course, was monetary union in Europe.

    PRIME MINISTER:

    That was one of a large number of things we discussed; we found great unity on a number of others. There is not complete unity over monetary union in Europe but there are certainly some common objectives: we both want low inflation in Europe – there are matters of that sort. we are just beginning to discuss monetary union in the IGCs and there is a great deal further to go and as we both said in the press conference we had afterwards, of course there are some differences but the IGCs, I hope, will be areas where we can sort them out.

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister, how did you find the morale of the families when you spoke to the wives and children here?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I thought it was both remarkable and admirable. It is difficult for someone who is not a member of the family of one of our servicemen in the Gulf to quite understand the concerns that they must have at the present time. We can imagine what it is like but we cannot actually know what it is like for we do not have that particular burden to bear at present but I must say they were absolutely remarkable, very impressive indeed.

    QUESTION:

    When you were at Munster, I am sure that were many people who were very concerned about when the land war would start in the Gulf. Were you able to give them any indication, the wives of those army personnel who are out in the Gulf?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    No, I was not able to give them an indication of when the land war will start – that is not something that I can do and it is not something that is fully known yet.

    I think it is now becoming probable rather than possible that there will be a land conflict but precisely when that will be is as yet uncertain.

    QUESTION:

    Did you feel that they needed reassurance, the wives that you met today?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I think everyone in those circumstances would like to know that other people are concerned about them and care about them and to hear the immense admiration that is being expressed everywhere in the United Kingdom for the way our servicemen are performing in the Gulf but I must say I found the wives very resolute indeed.

    QUESTION:

    One other question on the talks with Chancellor Kohl. I understand that Chancellor Kohl said that there was a new era in Anglo-German relations that was opening. Do you also share that view?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I think there is a very good relationship between the United Kingdom and Germany. I am delighted that that is the case and Herr Kohl and I will remain in close contact. We hope to build on that and we are sure it will continue.

  • Mr Major’s Speech to Servicemen at Munster Army Base – 11 February 1991

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s speech to servicemen and their wives at Munster Army Base in Germany, made on Monday 11th February 1991.

    [Quality of initial recording was poor, numerous sections are indistinct]

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Thank you very much. I am delighted to be here today and I only regret [indistinct] able to have on this particular occasion. Can I just say something to you first about what is happening out in the Gulf and about the visit I made [indistinct].

    I think all of you know why your husbands are out there and why your colleagues are out there in the Gulf; there are serious, important principles at stake. It is not just the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, important though that it is. I think there are wider issues as well and one of the wider issues, of course, is the fact that if a large [indistinct] nation like Iraq is able to invade a small defenceless nation like Kuwait and get away with it, then I wonder how many other small defenceless nations around the world [indistinct] a problem on our hands elsewhere if we do not deal with the problem that exists in Kuwait now.

    The second problem, of course, and is that if this were to continue uninterrupted and the Iraqis were to keep control of Kuwait, then I believe very strongly that we would have a much more serious problem on our hands in two or three years time and a much more difficult and widespread problem to deal with. In fact, that it is better to deal with it now, rather than have a much wider and large-scale conflict to deal with in two or three years time, for in two or three years time the Iraqis could be better prepared; they might have the nuclear weapons they do not have now or the biological weapons they do not yet have and so to [indistinct] and to [indistinct] of other people it seemed to us to be necessary to deal with the particular problem immediately and I know from those of your husbands I met while I was out in the Gulf that [indistinct] is their view as well.

    When I went out there early in the New Year, I went out there because I wanted to see for myself because I do not believe, however well you are briefed, you can understand a matter unless you do see it for yourself. I wanted to see for myself what it was actually like out there and I wonder if I can just paint you [indistinct] picture.

    I went right out in the desert [indistinct] and they were well dug-in. If you, were for example, to travel as I did in a helicopter [indistinct] for mile upon mile upon mile [indistinct] encampment, with little pieces of armour [indistinct] headquarters [indistinct] that was actually dug well into the ground and covered with camouflage nets [indistinct] every single day regardless of the possibility of attacks [indistinct] from Iraq. It was [indistinct] a most remarkable operation [indistinct] for as far as you could see from the helicopter [indistinct] every single [indistinct] there were literally [indistinct] all well dug-in [indistinct] at that time [indistinct] they will have moved on now [indistinct] what they were doing.

    I had the opportunity of having a lot of informal meetings with the boys over there rather like the meeting we have got here except that we were obviously short of microphones and it was just a question of gathering round and talking.

    [Indistinct] when I went out there I was not at all certain what I would actually find [indistinct] professional army of course, but a professional army [indistinct] did not expect to be out in a place like the desert [indistinct] that is going on at the present time and I wondered what people would feel about that and I was naturally [indistinct] about the reaction. I do not think I will ever come away feeling so proud of people as I did of those people as I had [indistinct] just after [indistinct] but Iraq was [indistinct]. People knew what they were there for, they knew how difficult the task would be, they were totally and completely confident of their ability to do it and although on many occasions they made it clear how much they missed their families, they were utterly under-standing of the reason they were sent there and completely understanding of the fact that it would take some time before the work would be completed.

    You have all seen what has been happening [indistinct] conflict in the middle of January. The Royal Air Force, the American Air Force and the other allies have done [indistinct] over the period of the last month. They have [indistinct] with the most remarkable skill; you can actually see from photographs out there how military targets have been picked out in the middle of large areas and destroyed [indistinct] have not been damaged at all and it has been a remarkable operation [indistinct] longer than many people imagine. It will go on for a little longer yet, for a very good reason: we want to make sure that if and when it comes to a land battle – and I think it is probable rather than possible that it will come to a land battle – that everything possible has been done to minimise the severity of that battle. We will not commit our troops to a land battle until we are absolutely certain it is the right time to do so and until the air forces have finished the work that they have been engaged on for a very considerable period of time. So I cannot tell you precisely when that will be: I can tell you that we will take every measure that we possibly can to minimise the scale and to minimise the possibility of casualties should that land battle come about.
    When I was there, I [indistinct] some of the boys I met actually came from and I do assure you that they are totally prepared for what lies ahead.

    There were several other things I had the opportunity of discussing with them and that I would like to mention to you today. When this [indistinct] is over we will, I promise you, bring them home just as soon as we can. I do not propose to leave them out there for a lengthy period at the end of this conflict. It may be we will have to bring the troops who are out there back home and replace them for a short while for logistical reasons, clearing up and bringing home equipment, with some other troops; that is a decision to be taken and quite possibly that is what will happen but I will not keep them out there for a lengthy time at the end of this particular conflict.

    Let me also just say a word about the future of the army and [indistinct] at the end of this particular conflict what we can learn from it, what it actually may mean in terms of the future size, scale and skills that we need for the Armed Forces generally and for the Army in particular and we also will need to look and see what is needed for the future of individual regiments. That will take a while but I think it is a wise decision to stop, regroup and consider at the end of this conflict though it will not delay a decision unnecessarily because I know of the difficulties and uncertainties that that causes in many people’s minds.

    One other thing [indistinct] here in Germany [indistinct] I will just say to you I do not know quite how clearly you get a feel of what opinion is like in the United Kingdom but I must say to you that the support that there is for your husbands and for those troops out there in the United Kingdom is so tangible you can [indistinct] feel it, not just in the House of Commons though certainly [indistinct] the House of Commons, but also there among the public at large there is a total and overwhelming support for your husbands out there and tremendous respect for the work that has to be done and is going to be done. I think many people who perhaps often do not think about these matters will have gained new respect for the work of the Armed Forces as a result of what they can see and learn in this the first-ever television war.
    I wish you could feel how strong that support is because I think it would be a comfort and I think to your husbands in the Gulf it certainly would be a great comfort [indistinct] the support that they have.

    [Mainly indistinct, but regarding the large number of letters the Prime Minister had received at Downing Street]

    [Indistinct] from other people in this country who support has been tremendously important. Your letters are getting through and the fact that they are getting through and the support that you are actually giving to your husbands from here is of the most immense importance. That is one of the things, I believe, why morale out there is so very high and if they cannot be here to say that to you, I am pleased that I am, to say “Thank you” for those letters and to keep on writing to them even though it is not always easy for them to reply and may not be so in the future, I do assure you [indistinct] all the things may not be so in the future, I do assure that [indistinct] receive your letters sent out there is very much appreciated

    So thank you very much indeed for your welcome today and I was very pleased to be able to come today. I hope this matter will not drag on too long. I cannot tell you how long it will be because I do not yet know, but I can reiterate finally the promises that I made some time ago that when it is over, we will not delay in bringing your husbands back home to you and I hope that that day will not be far away. [Applause].

    QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

    QUESTION:

    [Inaudible].

    PRIME MINISTER:

    [indistinct] but now I have had the opportunity of seeing their families and seeing the tremendous support they are being given by them [indistinct] I am very pleased that I came.

    QUESTION:

    [Inaudible].

    PRIME MINISTER:

    We will, I think, have to consider, at the conclusion of the events in the Gulf, precisely what lessons we have learned from it in order to be sure that we make the right decisions. That is the most important thing: to make sure we make the right decisions to have the right size and nature of army for the threat to be [indistinct] in the future, so that will be my first concern. I will not delay in making those decisions but I think I do have to gather together the facts and the lessons we have learned in order to be able to make them so I am afraid I cannot give you a time-scale but I can give you the promise that we will not delay unduly about it.

    QUESTION:

    [Indistinct] people will be coming back home [indistinct] back to Germany?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Back to where their families are. I think that is where they will want to come.

    QUESTION:

    Finally, Prime Minister, do you have any message – any additional message – for the families of troops in the Gulf?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Only that I hope I can understand how they feel at this difficult time. I do understand that it is very easy for people to say it is very necessary but a particular stress and strain is placed upon the families of the troops who are actually out there. I admire them tremendously in the way they have responded to that strain and I hope that that strain will come to an end as soon as possible in the most favourable way.

  • Mr Major’s Joint Press Conference with Chancellor Kohl – 11 February 1991

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s joint press conference with Chancellor Kohl, held in Bonn on Monday 11th February 1991.

    CHANCELLOR KOHL:

    It is a great pleasure to me, dear friend, to welcome you here today to the Federal Chancellor’s office in Bonn. It is your first official visit, Prime Minister, to Bonn and it was a further very intensive talk in a series of intensive talks that we have had since you assumed office and I am very happy that you have been my guest here today, if only for a few hours, and we have agreed that these talks are to be continued at regular intervals; our next meeting will take place in the first half of March. I also should like to express my gratitude for the fact that in these very difficult times we have kept in regular contact on the phone at least once a week and that we intend to continue to do so.

    For us and for me, it is of the greatest importance to develop the very close and friendly relationship existing between the United Kingdom and Germany as intensively as possible.

    We owe a lot to Great Britain; together with our American and French friends, they have over four decades guaranteed freedom and peace for the larger part of Germany; this is especially true for Berlin and we will never forget it. We are fully aware of what it means when British soldiers now stand in the Gulf to fight for freedom and international law also on our behalf and it is especially in these difficult hours that I should like to assure these soldiers of the United Kingdom and the Alliance as well as their wives and children, of our utmost sympathy.

    In the few hours at our disposal today, we discussed quite a number of subjects and touched upon a further few; allow me to mention just a few.

    Understandably, the subject of the Gulf War was one of the central issues that we discussed today. We all wish that international law will be restored as quickly as possible, that the occupation of Kuwait, which is in violation of international law, be ended and that international law will then see the light of day and it is now exclusively in the hands of Iraq and of its President to restore peace as quickly as possible. I should like to tell you, Prime Minister, that we, the Germans and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, stand at the side of our friends and allies in the Gulf and we know that the Allies have assumed a very difficult and important task on behalf of the international community. We hope that the war can be ended soon and that the decisions of the United Nations are fully respected and implemented by Iraq.

    Secondly, we discussed the situation in Central and South-Eastern Europe and the situation in the Soviet Union. We both share the view that it is of the utmost importance that the Soviet leadership continues to pursue the policy of perestroika, a policy of openness, and that problems that have come up will be solved in a peaceful manner without the use of force.

    We also intensively discussed further work within the European Community, on the continuation of the work of the two Inter-Governmental Conferences, on political union and on economic and monetary union. We have cooperated closely, as was agreed on the day of the inauguration of these conferences in London, and we intend to continue this cooperation.

    We also touched on a number of other points – I would simply like to name but one.

    We share a great interest in a successful outcome of the GATT Round and that the time is being used in the best manner possible, for example by the EEC delegation now present in Washington and then afterwards, in order to keep within the time framework. We are very much interested in the success of the GATT Round.

    Mr. Prime Minister, you have the floor!

    PRIME MINISTER MAJOR:

    Chancellor Helmut, firstly may I thank you for your hospitality today and for the warmth of your welcome.

    We have had the opportunity in the last two months or so of having a very large number of conversations on the telephone and the occasional meeting and I am delighted that we have been able to agree today not only more meetings in March but to retain and expand the very close relationship that I believe we have been developing over the last two months in the future.

    I was particularly pleased that the Federal Chancellor was able to accept my invitation to join me for a week-end in the United Kingdom at some undisclosed date when the weather is a little better, when I might have the opportunity of showing him rather more of England.
    I was encouraged by the large number of policy areas where we share both a common objective and a common assessment of the problem.

    There is, for example, no difference in our assessment and objectives insofar as the Gulf conflict is concerned and I was able to express to the Federal Chancellor my very warm thanks for the most generous donation that the German people have made towards the costs of that conflict that are currently being borne by the United Kingdom. We both share a complete commitment to meeting all of the Security Council Resolutions in this present matter.

    We also found a remarkable unity of view in our perception of the present difficulties in the Soviet Union and in particular in the Baltic States. Both Germany and the United Kingdom are very strong supporters of perestroika and we agreed that we wish to see perestroika continue and Mr. Gorbachev to continue with his reforms.

    We were also very pleased by the developments in South Africa and the further reforms proposed by President de Klerk. It is our view that these should be encouraged in the hope that in the not too distant future South Africa may be brought back within the African community of nations and the world community of nations.

    As the Chancellor said, we were also able to discuss a wide range of Community matters, both the Inter-Governmental Conferences and, of course, the very great importance of a successful outcome to the present GATT Round.

    There were a wide range of other matters we discussed, including the desirability of as close as possible a relationship between the CDU and the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. These are all matters that I look forward to developing in our continuing contacts.

    The list we have given you of the matters we discussed is not, I think, exclusive but it does indicate the very wide range of matters that we were able to touch upon in our discussions today.

    I would like to conclude, for the moment, by reiterating my thanks to Chancellor Kohl for the very warm welcome and the most useful and friendly discussions that we have had today.

    QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister, you said there is no difference in your views on the objectives of the Gulf War. Is the aim of the Allied Forces now not only to free Kuwait but to drive Saddam Hussein out of government and maybe into another world?

    PRIME MINISTER MAJOR:

    No. Our objectives are as they have always been. I think one needs to recall that the Allied Forces are there under the international authority of the United Nations and we set out our objectives in the Security Council Resolutions that the United Nations have approved. Those are our objectives, those and no other.

    QUESTION:

    Mr. Chancellor, was the subject of specific German financial assistance to the countries involved in the Gulf war discussed?

    CHANCELLOR KOHL:

    You may have heard that the Prime Minister expressed his gratitude but we do not know what the future will bring. If the future brings further financial necessities, we will speak on them. I do not think you can deal with solidarity on a monthly basis.

    QUESTION:

    Could I ask you both, on the issue of political and economic union, do you not still find yourselves far apart on the ultimate aims of both?

    CHANCELLOR KOHL:

    Of course there are differences in views between us but what does that mean? We have come here in order to fight for a very important objective and if that question had been put to us ten years ago, we would have considered it completely impossible to imagine that ten years from that point in time we would have gone so far in the process of European unification.

    It is important now that we understand each other, that we work on the objective together, that of course we do not leave out the differences in views but that we try to find means and ways of getting together. You cannot expect things that have developed away from each other over a period of three hundred years to develop towards each other in a period of only thirty years.

    There are two things that are important for me:

    – that the obligation that our constitution places us under is taken seriously, to achieve German unity and European unification;
    – and second – this is also the policy that I pursue – not to box any party into a corner in European politics and least of all our British friends.

    I should like to walk along this path together with our British friends. Maybe we will have to make a detour but in politics detours have very often turned out to be the short cuts.

    PRIME MINISTER MAJOR:

    We have a saying by a very famous British politician that total unity is the unity of the graveyard and even though he was a Socialist politician, it is quite a good comment! [Laughter].

    So yes, there are differences of emphasis and concern in some of the IGCs at the present time but we are only just beginning to discuss all these matters in the Inter-Governmental Conferences. There is a very long way to go yet and there are very many things that need discussion.
    I am optimistic that at the conclusion of these Inter-Governmental Conferences we will have been able to reach a conclusion that is satisfactory both to the United Kingdom and to our European partners and there are many areas of agreement upon which we can build. So we will enter into those Conferences in a very constructive frame of mind with some very clear ideas and we will bring those ideas before all our partners in the Community.

    The prize of an agreement in those Inter-Governmental Conferences between all the Twelve together is a very considerable prize. That may mean, therefore, as the Chancellor said, the occasional detour but that, of course, is what we have the discussions in the Inter-Governmental Conferences for and I remain confident that at the end of it, we will have an agreement that each member state will be able to present to its domestic parliament and invite them to approve. I very much hope that that will prove to be the case.