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TO ROUTINE FCO TELEGRAM UNNUMBERED OF 18 JANUARY.
FOLLOWING FOR GUIDANCE AND NEWS DEPT.
JANUARY. Mi sulpert.
COT NEWSSOON FROM JANES, PLEASE OMPASS NO. 10 AND FCO MEUS
DEPARTHENT AND GIPD.
En.
19%
ITEM: HEATH TO SPEAK ON ARMS ISSUE.
FRON LPS CHIEF DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT DERYK JAMES, SINGAPORE,
MONDAY 16 JANUARY,
>
BRITAIN'S PRIME MINISTER EDWARD HEATH WILL DO MIS BEST
AT TOMORROW'S (TUESDAY'S) SESSION OF THE COMMONWEALTH
HEADS OF GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE TO ALLAY THE MISGIVINGS,
OF AFRICAN LEADERS ON THE QUESTION OF THE POSSIBLE BRITISH
SALE OF MARITIRE DEFENCE EQUIPMENT TO SOUTH AFRICA.
HE WILL MAKE CLEAR YET AGAIN BRITAIN'S ABHORRENCE OF
APARTHEID AND WILL STRESS THAT ANY SALE WOULD (NOT) BE
INTENDED TO GIVE A "CERTIFICATE OF RESPECTABILITY"
TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN COVERNMENT'S INTERNAL POLICIES.
NOR, HE WILL SAY, DOES THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT CONSIDER
THAT ANY SALE SHOULD BE REGARDED AS GIVING SUCH A CERTIFICATE.
BRITAIN'S CONCERN, HE IS EXPECTED TO STATE, IS
FOR THE SECURITY OF ONE OF THE MAIN TRADE ROUTES OF THE WORLD
THAT LINKING THE SOUTH ATLANTIC WITH THE INDIA OCEAN.
TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS IN THE CONFERENCE WERE VERY MUCH
TO DO WITH TRADE AND ECONOMICS. IN FACT, THE DAY SHOWED WHAT
IN PRACTICE THE COMMONWEALTH CONNECTION IS ALL ABOUT, BECAUSE
ALTHOUGH THE TOPIC WAS 'THE WORLD ECONOMIC SITUATION
/AND TRENDS"
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