Five distinguished Europeans outline their priorities for PresidentReagan
Although every President since Herbert Hoover has visited Europe during his term of office, RonaldReagan’s trip is in many ways unprecedented. No U.S. President has everaddressed either the assembled members of the British Parliament or theWest German Bundestag. Few Presidents have had to prepare for quite somany questions about their foreign, defense and economic policies.Western Europeans are of many minds as to the ideas the Presidentshould stress during his visit. TIME asked five Western Europeanleaders, four of them former Prime Ministers and one a former FinanceMinister, to write their views of what President Reagan’s prioritiesshould be.
The views of politicians who no longer hold national office were soughtbecause they would be able to speak more forthrightly about the issuesat stake and about the reception the President is likely to receivefrom his peers. Although the assessments differ in accent and tone,they are united by two strong, recurring themes: the need to controlthe arms race and to cope with a global economic crisis.