The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Tag: Netherlands

  • Mr Major’s Joint Doorstep Interview with the Dutch Prime Minister – 7 September 1994

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s joint doorstep interview with the Dutch Prime Minister, Mr Wim Kok, on Wednesday 7th September 1994.

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Can I say firstly that I am delighted to be back here today and to renew my acquaintance with the Prime Minister, we had the opportunity of working together as Finance Ministers some years ago and I have no doubt that the excellent relationship we have enjoyed with the Dutch government over recent years is going to continue and we had the opportunity to review a range of matters of joint interest over luncheon.

    We spent a substantial amount of time looking at the prospects as we move forward to the intergovernmental conference in 1996 and other current European matters, I will not go into those in detail, no doubt if you wish to pursue that you will ask questions about it.

    We also spent some time reviewing the present situation in Bosnia. As you know, the British have a number of troops there and the Dutch have a very large contingent, many troops in Srebrenica and elsewhere, and we were looking at the events over recent weeks, the current prospects and what may happen in the future, to review the possibility of there being progress, we spent some considerable time on that.

    Beyond that we looked at a number of other bilateral matters. I will spare you the details of that, the Prime Minister may wish to mention some of them but by and large I think I will leave it to you to ask questions.

    MR KOK:

    Let me be brief at the same time. I am delighted that Prime Minister Major is able to be here today and to give his lecture this afternoon in Leiden, we know each other already for quite some time. And I think both on the bilateral and on the multilateral level a lot of issues had to be discussed in a constructive and fruitful way – the future of Europe, the enlargement of Europe, at the same time the preparation for the intergovernmental conference 1996, there we have a lot of interests in common – and we have agreed that on a bilateral basis our officials will be in contact in order to inform each other about views and possible common ways in order to tackle common problems.

    As the Prime Minister said already, we also discussed the situation in Bosnia and the undesirability that the arms embargo would be lifted, not in the least because of the position and safety of the considerable amount of troops we have in the region.

    And perhaps I might say in ending this short comment on my behalf that we exchanged views on Northern Ireland and that I expressed my admiration for the courageous and statesmanlike way in which both Prime Minister Major and Prime Minister Reynolds are trying to bring an historic problem hopefully to an end because Northern Ireland is a centre of instability and violence, as we all know, and we all in Europe, and we here in the Netherlands, do hope that it will be possible to bring this violent situation for a number of decades to an end and we fully encourage and support the way in which Prime Minister Major is doing his utmost in order to contribute to the stabilisation of that very difficult part of the world and Europe.

    QUESTION:

    Mr Kok, do you like what you hear from Prime Minister Major about variable geometry, multi-speeds, multi-layers in Europe? And Mr Major, did anything you heard from Dublin or anywhere else yesterday lead you towards setting the clock ticking?

    MR KOK:

    Would you allow me to comment on Prime Minister Major’s speech after I have heard the speech?

    QUESTION:

    We may not have the chance to talk to you.

    MR KOK:

    I will be available, I will be there.

    QUESTION:

    I think you have heard the idea from him before though?

    MR KOK:

    Yes, but it is better perhaps to give my comments after having listened to the speech.

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I set out the position the other day, I do not think our position has changed, Naturally I think we are inching forward to being clearer about matters but I do not think that is quite yet the case, I very much hope we can move forward and it can be absolutely clear that this is intended to be a permanent cessation of violence. That is the conclusion that I wish to be able to draw, but I must credibly be able to draw it and I am not sure it is entirely there yet.

    QUESTION:

    Al Gore has today joined Albert Reynolds in accepting that the IRA renunciation of violence is permanent, do you feel uncomfortable that you are still sticking out when they are both prepared to accept this, and are you worried that the rush by Dublin to get Gerry Adams involved is prejudicing the chance of bringing the Ulster Unionists along in any eventual settlement?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I find myself in a unique position in this respect. Unlike other people I actually have the responsibility for the security of Northern Ireland and I must be absolutely certain myself that this is not just a short-term ceasefire, but a credible long-term permanent cessation of violence and I believe the people of Northern Ireland would wish me to be certain about that as well. As I indicated a moment ago, I think gradually it is being made a little clearer that perhaps this is not just a temporary ceasefire, but it is not clear yet. It can be made absolutely clear very simply. All that has to be said is for Sinn Fein to say quite clearly yes, under no circumstances would we go back to violence – that is all I am waiting to hear. I do not want any particular formulation, I do not ask them to accept words that we have ourselves uttered in the past, I just ask for a clear cut, unequivocal assurance that violence is over for good, and I believe the people in Northern Ireland would expect me to be certain about that before I move forward, and I will be.

    QUESTION:

    [Inaudible] Gerry Adams involved by Dublin [inaudible].

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Everyone must make their own judgements about what pace to take things. The Taoiseach and I have worked very closely indeed over the last couple of years and I do not doubt for a single second his commitment to have a permanent end to violence and to be able to move forward satisfactorily, there is no shred of doubt about that and we will continue to work together to try and achieve that, but both he and I must make our own judgments about the speed at which things develop.

    QUESTION:

    [Inaudible] British troops out of Belfast?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    That is not a matter I can answer today, Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, there are British troops in every part of the United Kingdom, they are there to protect people against terrorist behaviour, that terrorist behaviour has come from the IRA and it has also come from some Loyalist sources as well. The policing and the troops on the ground in Northern Ireland are an operational matter, decisions upon that are decisions taken upon the advice of the GOC in the case of the Army, and the Chief Constable in the case of the Police.

    QUESTION:

    A two speed peace process seems to be coming along, with Mr Reynolds in the driving seat, what is your view on that?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I indicated a moment ago, the decisions that must be taken in the near future are decisions that involve the British government and the people of Northern Ireland, we must be certain about those.

    QUESTION:

    What do you think about the UK economic recovery [inaudible].

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I think that is a question that you do not seriously expect an answer to. The rate of UK economic recovery has certainly been quickening over the last year or so. We now find ourselves in the position where unemployment is falling, inflation is at a 25 year low and growth has been accelerating, so I think we have a very benign set of economic circumstances and we are determined to keep them benign.

    MR KOK:

    We are now following that all over Europe, the continent is now falling, the only hope I have is that we are not only looking to the short term improvement of the economy because of the incidental improvements, but that we also are aware of the necessity to make structural adjustments all over Europe because the White Paper made by Jacques Delors and approved by the European Council is still very up-beat.

    QUESTION:

    What is your reaction to the lifting of the trade ban by Malaysia?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I am very pleased about that. When the trade ban was introduced some time ago we made representations about it and we have continued to do so. We have had a,very long standing trading and investment relationship with Malaysia, I am delighted that the hiccup is now behind us and that we are now back into our traditional relationship.

    QUESTION:

    Mr Kok, would you be happy with the idea of a hard core of countries that went ahead, an inner core of 5, without necessarily pre-empting the Prime Minister’s speech?

    MR KOK:

    I would not be happy as an objective. We cannot exclude that as far as the economic and monetary union is concerned, where the Netherlands play another role than Britain, as we all know, that at the end of the day by 1997 or 1999 there would be a certain split for the time being between some countries participating in the third stage and others who are not yet ready, but that should always be an unavoidable outcome of the process instead of an objective. I think it should not be the objective to make a split right from the beginning, but I do not exclude that the outcome of the process might be so.

    QUESTION:

    Did you talk about who is to be the next Secretary General of NATO?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    We have not reached a conclusion on that matter today, no.

    QUESTION:

    Which names were you discussing?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    None I am prepared to divulge today.

    QUESTION:

    This morning Dr Paisley has been calling you a dictator but we have not heard yet what you have to say about him?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I will read what he has to say with my usual interest.

  • Mr Major’s Joint Doorstep Interview with Ruud Lubbers – 7 December 1992

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s joint doorstep interview with the Dutch Prime Minister, Mr Ruud Lubbers, held in Edinburgh on Monday 7th December 1992.

    QUESTION:

    I think you talked about the Danish position, can you say something about that issue?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    We talked about the whole range of issues at Edinburgh and beyond Edinburgh. We ran through the agenda. We looked at the question of Denmark and future financing, enlargement, all the issues we expect to face at Edinburgh. I think we are both committed to making sure that Edinburgh is a success and the Community can show it’s on a forward path. I hope very much we will be able to reach an agreement over the weekend that will enable the Danes to put the whole question back to a new referendum.

    QUESTION:

    Why do you think Edinburgh will be a success, because the EC is in a rather desperate position right now?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    The European Community is a fairly remarkable organisation. Over the years it has had many occasions where it faced difficulties. It has hurdled those difficulties. It has faced them and overcome them. I think that when we get to Edinburgh the many difficulties to be overcome, there’s a general will to overcome them.

    QUESTION:

    There’s a general will to overcome them?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    There’s a general will.

    QUESTION:

    And you saw that general will as well from Mr Lubbers?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Ask the Prime Minister.

    PRIME MINISTER LUBBERS:

    Of course we discussed the very useful proposal of the British presidency about the Danish problem and as was said in other capitals, we think it can be improved. Certain elements of it, as I explained to the press in the Netherlands already on Friday. But I see good possibilities. You never know of course. It will be difficult and the same is for the other topics we have to discuss. It won’t be easy. Europe is often at its best when it is difficult.

    QUESTION:

    The Christian Democratic leaders have said last week that they won’t accept the British solution on the Danish issue.

    PRIME MINISTER LUBBERS:

    Oh, that’s the way we prepare meetings. Always it is the same.

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Would you go into a meeting saying I agree with everything if you are just about to go into negotiations? That is the standard way the Community prepares.

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister, what kind of improvements could you bring to this proposal to solve [inaudible].

    PRIME MINISTER:

    What we brought forward for the meeting over the weekend is a compromise between the necessary changes that are there to ensure that Denmark can successfully put the Referendum back and the changes that the rest of the Community are prepared to accept. There are some things that the Community can’t accept. We can’t accept changes to the Maastricht Treaty itself. We can’t accept things that require re-ratification. And there has to be flexibility both on behalf of Denmark and on behalf of the rest of the Community. Now we have put forward a proposal in some small areas where I think there will be further discussion at Edinburgh. I hope it will be possible to reach a conclusion. No-one can be absolutely certain about that. We will have to wait till Edinburgh. But what is perfectly clear, talking to every head of Government across the Community, is that there is a general will to see whether we can reach an agreement. Everybody will be going there trying to reach an agreement and I think that is a very satisfactory way to begin the meeting at Edinburgh.

    QUESTION:

    Will there be a motion to stimulate the European economy?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    We will be discussing the European economy of course.

    PRIME MINISTER LUBBERS:

    Of course we will do that.

    QUESTION:

    Do you think that it is still possible that Denmark will take over the European Presidency in January?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Yes, its not only possible, it is certain they will.

    QUESTION:

    Still?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Yes.

    QUESTION:

    Could we have your comments about the rejection by Switzerland of the EEA? Both of you please.

    PRIME MINISTER:

    It is not a wholly unexpected rejection, given the nature of the Swiss constitution. They needed to win in each and every Canton, so I don’t think it is a great surprise they have said no. I think it is a disappointment for Switzerland and for others. What will now happen, of course, is that the Swiss will have excluded themselves from the largest free trading market in the world, and the free trading market that is getting larger. The other EFTA states will no doubt now hold a conference and decide how to proceed. What I think is absolutely clear is that in no way will this diminish the wish of the other EFTA states to join the Community proper.

    PRIME MINISTER LUBBERS:

    It is a pity of course, but as the Dutch Prime Minister, I want to pinpoint, make clear that we have a separate agreement with Austria and Switzerland about a very important transit problem, and that was made separately and was accepted by the Swiss population a few months earlier. Frankly speaking, that was the most important part for us and that is not endangered by this Referendum.

    QUESTION:

    But the Edinburgh summit can’t be a failure? You agree with that?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Everyone will be working to make sure the Edinburgh summit is a success.

    [Remaining section was in Dutch, and translated to the below]

    QUESTION:

    Have you been given British support for the siting of one the European Institutions in the Netherlands?

    PRIME MINISTER LUBBERS:

    The British hold the Presidency. They are only looking for consensus and agreement and I do not have the feeling that it has become easier now than it was in Maastricht or in Lisbon. I am talking about the whole question of the siting of institutions.

    QUESTION:

    Your colleague Mr Major has been criticised for being too British in his Presidency. Do you share that criticism?

    PRIME MINISTER LUBBERS:

    We are now busy preparing for Edinburgh and making the best of it, and in the week to come there should be no criticism – only cooperation.

    QUESTION:

    Mr Lubbers, last Friday you said that you and Mr Major would come with a few suggestions for the Danish problem.

    PRIME MINISTER LUBBERS:

    That is what we have done. That is why he was looking so cheerful.

  • Mr Major’s Joint Doorstep Interview with Ruud Lubbers – 18 September 1991

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s joint doorstep interview with Ruud Lubbers, held at The Hague on Wednesday 18th September 1991.

    PRIME MINISTER:

    We have had the opportunity this morning of an exchange of views on a large range of issues, economic and monetary union, political union, the difficult circumstances that exist at the moment in Yugoslavia, the importance of reaching agreement on the Uruguay Round during the course of this year, all these are matters upon which we have had the opportunity of an informal exchange this morning.

    If I can run very briefly through some of those and then I am sure you will have some questions after Ruud has spoken. Progress has self-evidently been made I think in recent months on economic and monetary union and some of the difficulties are becoming smoother and I think increasingly a way through can be seen. There is still a considerable way to go and nobody should assume that there is necessarily going to be an easy agreement well in advance of Maastricht but I have become increasingly confident that we will be able to reach an agreement on economic and monetary union when we reach the conclusion of the intergovernmental conference in December at Maastricht.

    On political union I think it is fair to say that the debate is a good deal less advanced. There are many very formidable and difficult problems still to be discussed, we were able to touch upon some of those today and I know that the Prime Minister, as President, will be conducting a series of negotiations in the months ahead and I have a series of bilaterals with our Community partners as we try and find a way towards an agreement that will be generally satisfactory in December.

    The situation in Yugoslavia is one of very great concern, I do not think anyone underrates the difficulties that there are there and the problems that there will be in seeking a satisfactory solution. I would like to express my congratulations to Hans van den Broek for the way he has handled those matters in recent weeks, I think he has done magnificently, and I am delighted at the way in which Lord Carrington is chairing the peace conference, we must see how these events progress. But clearly it is a very dangerous and difficult situation and it would be very unwise at the moment to determine precisely how that may fall out.

    On GATT, there is a clear conformity of view, we are wholeheartedly of the opinion that it would be very damaging indeed if there were not a very formidable push towards reaching an agreement in the GATT Round by the end of this year, that is our agreed position, has been for some time, and the problems lie elsewhere rather than in Holland or in the United Kingdom.

    MR LUBBERS:

    I have not much to add to what Prime Minister Major said. Tomorrow we will have the Ministerial and the WEU conference on Yugoslavia and of course we discussed that topic but we draw conclusions tomorrow together with our other European partners.

    We had a very good discussion, as was said, about monetary union and political union and this was very timely because it gives us the opportunity to take into consideration the British position and see what we can do to come to agreement in Maastricht.

    About GATT we have still a long way to go to find a good method to bring the Uruguay Round to a success but as you know as well Great Britain and the Netherlands as, if I might say so, the Presidency, have a big interest here that we show that Europe can not only organise itself internally but is also prepared to come to terms with other groups of nations and continents.

    Finally, one word about central and Eastern Europe. As you know, Prime Minister Major is also in charge now of monitoring the efforts of the Group of G7 and also in that responsibility we had a useful talk about the possibilities, [Indistinct] the coming months, to coordinate the action of the European Community and that of the G7 group of countries.

     

    QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister Major, on political union, are you still opposed in principle to any extension of the legislative powers of the European Parliament and Prime Minister Lubbers, has anything that Mr Major told you this morning made it easier for you to complete your internal examination of new proposals for the IGC?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    We discussed a great many matters on political union, not just the extension of legislative competence, I think it would be a mistake to think that that is the only matter of difficulty, not just for the United Kingdom but for other countries as one actually moves forward to the debate on political union at Maastricht in December, there are very many areas of difficulty. We are prepared to look constructively at what the role of the European Parliament should be in the future, there are areas where we believe that it should change and I have set those out on a number of occasions in the past. Precise details of where we think their role should change and how it should change, what its reporting mechanisms should be, are matters we are still in discussion with both the Presidency and with our European partners.

    There can be some changes, I think there are areas beyond which we would find it very difficult for the European Parliament to go at this stage, but there are other difficulties as well and we have not dwelled especially upon those this morning.

    MR LUBBERS:

    The answer to your question is yes. To clarify that a little bit, we see Maastricht and the result of the inter-governmental conference on political union not as the final result of one political union immediately and for the full 100 percent at Maastricht. In fact, it will be a first step forward to a political union, defining the process, as I see it, and the different fields and speech in which we can come together to a more common approach will be different. You see that on the one hand in monetary union but there is also the single market and areas related to that in which we can make a step forward but we have to be a little bit more cautious in other areas like foreign policy and defence, not losing the perspective of political union but allowing ourselves time to develop procedures in which gradually Europe will speak more with one voice which is the ultimate aim of course.

    QUESTION:

    [Indistinct] Carrington and London has been frankly pessimistic about the prospects in Yugoslavia, in the light of that could I ask you both what conditions you would set and what prospects you see for the sending of an EC peace-keeping force to Yugoslavia and what implications do you think the different emphasis seems to being put within the Community for that political union?

    MR LUBBERS:

    As we said earlier, this will be discussed tomorrow with our European colleagues which is essential because if we really want a Europe which acts coordinated with one voice we have to come to a common opinion together. It would be very unwise I think as well for the British Prime Minister as for myself just one day before such a Ministerial meeting to dictate already the result of such a meeting. But I can assure you that we had a very thorough and fruitful discussion about the difficult situation and certainly we will do our utmost to support with all means the possibility for a success of what Lord Carrington is doing now in the peace conference here in The Hague.

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Let me just add something to that. I do not think one wants to necessarily assume all the difficulties of Lord Carrington’s mission will come about, we must hope that he is more successful, I think he is very prudent to be cautious about what can be achieved, it is clearly an extremely difficult circumstance and I think both on substance and in terms of tactics he is entirely right to be cautious about the outcome.

    One of the purposes of tomorrow’s meeting is to determine the extent to which it will be possible to coordinate policy and decide how to deal with the difficult emerging situation that exists in Yugoslavia. But many of the conclusions that we will have to reach will have to depend upon the will of the people in Yugoslavia firstly to create a ceasefire, secondly to seek assistance to make sure that that ceasefire actually continues. I do not think anybody is talking about a peace-making approach in terms of military intervention in Yugoslavia, but we must wait and see what happens in the discussions tomorrow, there are many things to discuss in what is a very rapidly evolving situation.

    QUESTION:

    [Inaudible].

    PRIME MINISTER:

    It means we are going to discuss things tomorrow, I do not have any immediate likelihood of sending a force, no.

    QUESTION:

    Did you outline any British reservations about the sending of a force, any conditions there would have to be on the ground?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    As Ruud said a few moments ago, we are going to discuss all these matters tomorrow and we have had the chance of some exchanges today, but I think these are matters that have to be developed in discussion tomorrow.

    QUESTION:

    [Inaudible].

    PRIME MINISTER:

    Every European nation has entirely the right to express its own distinctive views on what is happening in Yugoslavia and seek to discuss those views with its European colleagues, that is the free and easy and open way in which we conduct our affairs. But we will have a meeting tomorrow at which I hope we will get a communal view.

    MR LUBBERS:

    Let me add to that. In our discussion it was very clear, the main point of course is not the common policy, our common policy in this part of Europe, but the necessity that those who are responsible in Yugoslavia are ready to accept the necessity of a ceasefire and of the positive attitude to the efforts of Lord Carrington and only under that condition can we be instrumental in helping and assisting them. And that is the main point of discussion tomorrow, I guess, how we define that necessity of a perspective for the future of Yugoslavia based on their own efforts and then what can we add to help them in that situation.

    QUESTION:

    Are you planning an extra summit?

    MR LUBBERS:

    No, not at this moment.