Archive

1985 Dec 4 - 1986 Jan 21
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/1909
Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to Lille, France, January 1986: Anglo-French Summit on the Channel Fixed Link; administrative arrangements)

Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2016 Feb 19
Classification: Confidential
Page count: 73
Any docs withheld? 2

PREM19/1909 - download whole file (PDF, 65.99 MB)

Selections from this file

Showing items 1 - 10 of 10

Date Value Title
86 Jan 8 We Minor France: Charles Powell minute to Howe PS ("Channel Fixed Link") [programme, timetabling] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Jan 10 Fr Minor France: UKE Paris telegram 30 to FCO (1651Z) ("CFL: Programme for Prime Minister's Visit to Lille on 20 January: Telecon Timms/Darroch") [Nick Ridley will leave early to make Commons statement] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Jan 14 Tu Major France: UKE Paris telegram 42 to FCO (1149Z) ("CFL: Treaty Signature") [French suddenly claim President Mitterrand constitutionally impeded from signing treaty, but will still attend ceremony] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Jan 15 We Minor France: Howe PS minute to Charles Powell ("Anglo/French Summit Meeting in Lille on 20 January") [French want lunchtime speeches kept brief, MT agrees attendance of leader of Kent County Council] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Jan 17 Fr Minor France: UKE Paris telegram 58 to FCO (1307Z) ("Prime Minister's Visit to Lille, 20 January") [details of final programme] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Jan 17 Fr Minor France: Howe PS letter to Charles Powell ("Anglo/French Summit Meeting in Lille 20 January") [attendees, programme] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Jan 20 Mo Minor France: No.10 briefing ("Administrative Arrangements for the Visit of the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to Lille: Monday 20 January 1986") [Channel Tunnel treaty signature - programme, travel arrangements, attendees, including press party] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Jan 21 Tu Minor France: MT letter to UK Ambassador to France (Channel Fixed Link meeting) [thanks to Embassy staff; "it was right to make this into a major occasion and underline the wider significance of the decision to go ahead with a Link"] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Jan 21 Tu Major France: MT letter to President Mitterrand (Channel Fixed Link meeting) [grateful he made it a ceremonial occasion to underline the project's symbolic importance, glad to talk about Middle East developments] [declassified Feb 2016]
86 Jan 21 Tu Major France: UKE Paris telegram 76 to FCO (1727Z) ("Prime Minister's Visit to Lille, 20 January 1986: Channel Fixed Link") ["very warm reception" for MT in Lille, "great media interest"; account of the visit] [declassified Feb 2016]