CONFIDENTIAL

GPS

17

PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

FM BRUNEI 170930Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 98 OF 17 APRIL

Akk oba hl

20 APR 1918

DICK OFFICER INDEX

PA

21

REC

31

BAY

Action Taken

Seffior

INFO PRIORITY CANBERRA, HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR), JAKARTA,

KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, WASHINGTON AND WELLINGTON,

78

YOUR TELNO 65: BRUNEI NEGOTIATIONS

1. AS INSTRUCTED, I HAVE CONVEYED THE REPLY TO THE SULTAN. !

DISCUSSED THE ASPECTS IN PARAGRAPH 2 WITH ISA, HE SAID HE BELIEVED IT WOULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE TO ASK FOR ASSURANCE ABOUT THE SPECIFIC PERIOD THE SULTAN WOULD STAY IN LONDON. WITH ISA'S AGREE- VENT,

I SOUGHT THEREFORE TO CONVEY THE TIME ELEMENT TO THE SULTAN USING THE FOLLOWING FORM OF WORDS. QUOTE THE VIEW OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT, WHICH THEY BELIEVE WILL BE SHARED BY YOUR HIGHNESS THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS REQUIRE DEEP AND SERIOUS DISCUSSION. THEY THEMSELVES CONSIDER AND THEY TRUST YOUR HIGHNESS WILL SHARE THE VIEW THAT APPROPRIATE TIME NEEDS TO BE ALLOWED FOR THE DISCUSSIONS IN JUNE SO THAT SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS MAY BE MADE AT THE TALKS AGREED FOR THAT MONTH UNQUOTE.

2. İSA ASKED IF HE COULD ASSUME THAT THE INFORMATION I HAD PASSED TO THE SULTAN, NAMING 12 JUNE FOR THE START OF TALKS, ETC, WOULD NOW BE CONVEYED RIGHT AWAY TO FLETCHER-COOKE IN LONDON. I SAID 1 WAS SURE THIS COULD BE COUNTED ON. USA THEN SAID HE BELIEVED THAT FLETCHER-COOKE WOULD IN FACT ADVISE THE SULTAN THAT MORE THAN

ONE WEEK SHOULD BE SET ASIDE FOR THE TALKS.

CONFIDENTIAL

73.1 EXPECT

99

R

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