Margaret Thatcher: Freedom Is Working

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On the Falkland's. The Falklands have a strategic importance. How often have I tried to tell our friends and allies this. The Falklands have been important in British history since 1770, when we were forced off. The battle of the Falklands in the first World War was for the command of those straits; if we had not won that, we would not have won the war. It is British sovereign territory. The Falklanders wish to be British subjects. I simply do not understand what is wrong with that. I would have thought it was of immense help to our American friends that we were there.

On the status of Gibraltar. It is governed by the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713, and again the governing thing is the wishes of the people of Gibraltar. I have always found great difficulty with the U.S. in not understanding this. The U.S. is founded on freedom and self-determination and democracy. Why do they find difficulty in applying that to the Falklands or to Gibraltar?

On Catholic rights in Northern Ireland. It is not a question, as it was in Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe], of exchanging the bullet for the ballot. They have the ballot box, but they do not even take part in the Northern Ireland Assembly. What they do not like is that the ballot box does not give them the majority, and therefore some of them resort to the bullet and those few intimidate the others. Mind you, I understand the people of Northern Ireland; once you have got terrorism it paralyzes many people who would otherwise want to help. One must not judge the minority community by the terrorism, never, never, never. Because when you have got that terrorism and that kind of intimidation, the people are not free.

On anti-Americanism in Britain. I hope I killed it. I spoke about it because I think there was, probably because of the cruise missiles, a bit of anti-Americanism. But the moment you remind people that the world is not likely to be free or safe unless we and the U.S. stick together, and of the fantastic generosity of the U.S. to Europe, putting it on its feet with the Marshall Plan, immediately they get their things in perspective. People are not anti-American really. It is really like being members of the same family: they work up resentment and then you say, "Now, look, come off it. Just keep things in perspective."

On the task ahead. We now have to try to do what every nation is trying to do, to get jobs. But you are only going to get jobs by getting real, genuine enterprise going. And genuine enterprise only gets going provided that by its products and by its services it can win customers. I think our biggest single achievement is the whole change of attitude in this country.

On whether she will lead her party in the next election. Yes, I hope so.