?
1499
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM SINGAPORE 270345Z JAN 79.
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
THIS IS A COPY
HKK184/1 THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED
IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER .SECTION 3 (4) OF THE
PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958
по
A on
Anservice
78
file
TELEGRAM NUMBER 55 OF 27 JANUARY
Mal· INFO ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR, JAKARTA, MANILA, BANGKOK, WASHINGTON, HANOI, PEKING, UKREP BRUSSELS, VIENTIANE (PLEASE PASS HANOI), MOSCOW, CANBERRA, WELLINGTON, GOV, HONG KONG, UKMIS NEWYORK.
CORTAZZI'S VISIT
CORTAZZI WAS ASKED TO CALL ON RAJARATNAM YESTERDAY INSTEAD OF
ON MINISTER OF STATE MFA AS ORIGINALLY ARRANGED.
2.A
CORTAZZI BEGAN BY REFERRING TO RAJARATNAM'S BRIEFING OF EEC HEADS OF MISSION (MY TELEGRAM NO 53) AND THEN DREW ATTENTION TO
YOUR FORTHRIGHT REMARKS TO THE VIETNAMESE AMBASSADOR ON 23
JANUARY, HANDING OVER A BOUT DE PAPIER BASED ON YOUR TELEGRAM NO
13 TO HANOI. RAJARATNAM INDICATED CONSIDERABLE SATISFACTION.
CORTAZZI ALSO REFERRED TO THE POLITICAL DIRECTORS' MEETING REPORTED IN PARIS TELEGRAM NO 81 OF 24 JANUARY, AND READ OUT HIBBERT'S INTERVENTION VERBATIM, HE EXPLAINED THAT ON RECOGNITION
THE UK WOULD IN ANY EVENT WAIT FOR EVIDENCE THAT THE NEW KAMPUCHEAN REGIME WAS FULLY IN CONTROL, BUT WOULD ALSO WANT TO CONSIDER THE
EXTENT OF ITS INDEPENDENCE. WE WOULD NOT BE IN A HURRY AND WOULD
CERTAINLY NOT ACT WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH OUR EEC PARTNERS AND
WITH ASEAN. HE HOPED TOO THAT ASEAN WOULD CONSULT US BEFORE
DECIDING ON RECOGNITION.
3.
!
..
ON AID TO VIETNAM, HE SAID THAT THE UK WOULD OPPOSE ANY NEW
EEC AID AND HAD NO INTENTION OF GIVING CAPITAL AID OR OTHER NEW AID. HE EXPLAINED LIMITED EXTENT OF EXISTING UK AID TO VIETNAM AND THE EMPLOYMENT CONSIDERATIONS INVOLVED IN THE PROPOSED TRADE/
AID PROJECTS IN SHIPBUILDING AND JUTE-MAKING PROJECTS. MINISTERS
WOULD NOT WISH TO AID OR COMFORT THE VIETNAMESE, BUT EQUALLY
THEY WOULD BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT AT HOME.
4.
RAJARATNAM SAID THAT RECOGNITION OF ANY NEW KAMPUCHEAN REGIME MUST BE CONDITIONAL ON WITHDRAWAL OF VIETNAMESE TROOPS AND A SATISFACTORY CONFIRMATION THAT THIS HAD BEEN DONE. THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE GAINED BY RECOGNITION BEFORE THE FINAL FORMAT OF A TRULY KAMPUCHEAN REGIME EMERGED, AND THIS MIGHT TAKE SOME TIME. A WAIT-AND-SEE ATTITUDE WAS APPROPRIATE.
AANGIDENTIAL
15.