President Confers With Thatcher : Leaders Discuss German Reunification, Arms Control

President Bush met today with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, conferring about new pressures sparked by sweeping changes in Europe and helping the embattled British leader shore up her image at home.

In more than six hours of talks at the storm-swept island resort, the two leaders sat down for their sixth meeting to discuss the rapid moves toward German reunification and the ramifications for continuing arms control negotiations and the future of superpower relations.

At the same time, Bush, speaking to reporters en route to the conference, said he viewed “as positive” statements from Moscow predicting that a strategic nuclear arms reduction pact will be ready to approve by the time Bush meets next month with Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev.

“What (Gorbachev) said about instructing his people to go forward, I viewed that as a very positive statement, and we’re sending the same signals to our negotiators,” Bush said.

Additionally, the President said that despite Thatcher’s plummeting popularity at home and her battles on a variety of domestic political fronts, he continued to appreciate her insight and he restated the importance of the U.S.-British relationship.

“We’re very close together on our assessment on the changes that are taking place inside the Soviet Union. . . . She has a very clear view of the realities of the world,” Bush said. White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater described the first two hours of talks as “warm and productive.”

Fitzwater said Bush and Thatcher have “mutually supportive views” on a wide range of issues, including Eastern Europe, Gorbachev’s confrontation with the breakaway republic of Lithuania and apparent attempts by Iraq to acquire parts for dangerous and powerful weapons.

The meetings were broken up by a good deal of pomp, circumstance and food.

Upon his arrival, Bush was greeted with military fanfare and a blustery wind and overcast skies. After a working lunch, he was to join Thatcher and a group of children in Bermuda’s custom of marking Good Friday by flying colorful kites.