
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, July 13, 1990                   TAG: 9007130334
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The New York Times
DATELINE: LONDON                                LENGTH: Short

BRITISH MINISTER ASSAILS GERMANY, SPARKS UPROAR

A senior British Cabinet minister said in a magazine interview published Thursday that West Germany was trying to "take over" Europe, the French were behaving like the Germans' "poodles," and giving up sovereignty to the European Community would be like surrendering to Hitler.

The official withdrew the comments amid international protests and calls for his resignation.

Nicholas Ridley, trade and industry secretary, made the remarks in The Spectator. But he said Thursday that he "unreservedly" withdrew them.

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said Ridley's views were not the government's views.

by CNB