British prime minister plans to meet Reagan

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher expects to meet President Reagan in Washington about the end of February, a spokesman said. She could be the first European leader to hold talks with Mr. Reagan after his Jan. 20 inauguration. West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt met the President-elect last month. Informed sources said strains within the Western alliance and the defense of Western interests in the Persian Gulf would be prominent on the agenda for the two consecutive leaders.