The World - News from Oct. 16, 1985

Britain denied charges that pressure from the Reagan Administration caused London to cancel talks with two officials of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Opposition foreign policy spokesman Denis Healey said the cause was “doormat diplomacy” in which “President Reagan says, ‘Jump,’ Thatcher says, ‘How high?’ ” Foreign Office junior minister Malcolm Rifkind rejected the charge, saying: “At no time did the Americans make any representations to us, at any level, to cancel the visit.” Meanwhile, Jordan’s King Hussein said he backed Britain’s decision to cancel the PLO talks.