1.
MV LORD CARRINGTON DOWN STEPS OF AIRCRAFT, GREETED AND WALKS ACROSS TARMAC (2 SHOTS)
0.16

2.
CU CARRINGTON SPEAKING
1.38


TRANSCRIPT: CARRINGTON: "ONLY IN THE TALKS THAT MR. MINTOFF AND I'VE HAD IN THE LAST TWO DAYS HAVE WE BEEN ABLE TO LEARN EXACTLY WHAT MR. MINTOFF HAD IN MIND. I SHALL BE REPORTING TO MY COLLEAGUES, THE PROPOSALS TO MY COLLEAGUES, AND WE SHALL BE STUDYING THEM. BUT I WILL SAY NOW THAT I'M GOING AWAY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES IN OUR TWO POSITIONS. IN MY VIEW THE BASIS OF ANY NEW AGREEMENT IS NOT IN SIGHT. I WILL NOT GO INTO DETAILS, BUT I WILL SUMMARISE THE POSITION AS FOLLOWS. WE AND OUR NATO ALLIES RECOGNISE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ISLAND FROM THE DEFENCE ASPECT. BUT THE FUTURE OF OUR DEFENCE POSITION HERE MUST DEPEND ON THE CONDITIONS, INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL CONDITIONS, ON WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO STAY. THESE DEFENCE FACILITIES ARE NOT INDISPENSABLE. AND IF THE BASIS FOR A NEW AGREEMENT IS NOT FOUND, AND CANNOT BE FOUND, WE WOULD NOT WANT TO STAY AGAINST THE MALTA GOVERNMENT'S WISHES."




Initials OS/137 OS/141


ORIG. ON 8344/71

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: BRITAIN'S DEFENCE SECRETARY, LORD CARRINGTON RETURNED FROM MALTA TODAY AND REPORTED THAT DIFFERENCES WERE VERY WIDE BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND MALTESE GOVERNMENTS OVER THE STATIONING OF BRITISH TROOPS ON THE ISLAND. HE SAID THAT HE DIDN'T THINK A SETTLEMENT WAS POSSIBLE ON THE PRESENT BASIS.