Guarded congratulations for Mitterrand

Press, 13 May 1981, Page 8

Guarded congratulations for Mitterrand

NZPA-Reuter London World leaders sent messages of congratulations yesterday to the French Pre-sident-elect, Francois Mitterrand, but the good wishes of some allies were tempered with concern about possible Communist influence on his new administration.

President Ronald Reagan sent a congratulatory letter to Mr Mitterrand, and a senior American official said he foresaw no marked deterioration in ties between a conservative American Administration and a socialistled French Government. Officials of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation acknowledged that they were worried by the possible participation in his Government of the pro-Moscow Communists who backed him in Sunday’s election. But they said they believed France under

Mr Mitterrand would remain a loyal N.A.T.O. member. In Tokyo, a Japanese Government spokesman said: “We will watch how Mr Mitterrand will deal with the Communists in forming his Cabinet.”

His victory occupied much of yesterday’s talks between the British Prime Minister (Mrs Margaret Thatcher) and the West German Chancellor (Mr Helmut Schmidt). The two, meeting near ' London for a regular consultation, sent telegrams toMr Mitterrand.

Mrs Thatcher, who has been involved in some tough European Common Market bargaining with the outgoing President Valery . Giscard d’Estaing, told his successor: “I look forward to an early meeting with you and to continuing with you in the best tradition of co-operation between our two countries.”

)Mr Schmidt's message lacked the warmth he habitually showed to Mr Giscard, with whom he enjoyed a close relationship.

The election result was warmly greeted by socialist leaders in Western Europe, in sharp contrast to the reaction from the Soviet bloc, where Government leaders made no secret bf their preference for a Cen-tre-Right victory by Mr Giscard.

The Socialist Chancellor of 1, neutral Austria (Dr Bruno Kreisky) played down the prospect of Communist involvement in the future French Government.

“If there should be anything with the Communists, then it will certainly be very narrowly limited to very specific areas and have no influence on, let us say, those fields which are of essential

importance for democracy,” he said. Soviet bloc reaction centred on the Communist role in Mr Mitterrand’s victory, the Soviet news agency, Tass, quoting the call by the French Party leader, Georges Marchais, for Communist participation in Government.

Soviet press coverage of the presidential campaign made it clear the Kremlin would be disappointed at Mr Giscard’s defeat. President Leonid Brezhnev had formed good working relations with Mr Giscard over the last seven years and approved of his policy of maintaining contacts with the Kremlin even at times of East-West strain, Western diplomats in Moscow said. Mr Mitterrand is also seen in Moscow as being more pro-Israeli that his predecessor, an opinion reflected today by Arab commentators.