Secret files shed light on first Thatcher-Gorbachev talks

Classified documents made public Tuesday shed light on the political courtship between Britain’s Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev - whom she famously declared she could “do business” with. After Gorbachev’s first official visit to Britain in 1984, four months before he became Soviet leader, Thatcher praised his “charm and humour” as both sides sought to improve East-West relations. The documents were released by the National Archives in London under the 30-year rule, which allows previously secret government files to be made public three decades on. Thatcher, who died in 2013, wrote to then US president Ronald Reagan following Gorbachev’s visit.

He is relatively open in manner and intelligent. He is affable and has some charm and humour. I certainly found him a man one could do business with. I actually rather liked him.

Former British PM Margaret Thatcher, in a letter to former U.S. president Ronald Reagan

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