Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

Remarks following talks with Israeli Prime Minister (Yitzhak Shamir)

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: Outside No.10 Downing Street
Source: BBC Radio News Report 2230 22 May 1989
Journalist: Gerald Butt, BBC, reporting
Editorial comments:

Timing uncertain: possibly immediately before the working supper at 1915, or when supper had finished.

Importance ranking: Minor
Word count: 179
Themes: Foreign policy (Middle East)

Mrs Thatcher has indicated there are still clear differences between Britain and Israel on the way forward to peace in the Middle East. She was speaking outside Downing Street after talks with the Israeli leader, Mr Yitzhak Shamir, who's on a three day visit to Britain. Our Jerusalem correspondent Gerald Butt, is travelling with Mr Shamir: [end p1]

Mrs Thatcher said she'd made Britain's position clear and now had a great understanding of Mr Shamir's peace proposals. It's clear though that while there was an exchange of views the wide gap between Britain and Israel on the nature of any peace process remains. We did not, Mrs Thatcher said, come to any magic conclusion. I don't think there is one. As for the substance of the Shamir proposals, Mrs Thatcher said they'd not gone into details. But she'd repeated Britain's position regarding the PLO. For his part Mr Shamir said the discussions at Number Ten had been very good. He thought that he and Mrs Thatcher could have further opportunities to work together.