CONFIDENTIAL
..
HER 184/1.
GPS 485
CONFIDENTIAL
FM KUALA LUMPUR 240955Z JAN 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 59 OF 24 JANUARY
INFO ROUTINE SINGAPORE
BANGKOK
AND CANBERRA (FOR ROGERS)
Action Teen
MANILA
JAKARTA
BCARFE HONG KONG
See (87
AIR SERVICES TALKS
1, SINGAPORE FOREIGN MINISTER, RAJARATNAM, WHO IS ON A PRIVATE VISIT HERE, HELD TALKS WITH HIS COUNTERPART, TENGKU RITHAUDDEEN, ON 20 JANUARY AFTER WHICH THE MFA PUT OUT A STATEMENT SAYING THAT ASEAN WAS UNHAPPY OVER THE DECISION BY AUSTRALIA AND BRITAIN TO BYPASS SOUTH EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES ON THE NEW LOW FARE FLIGHTS. UNLESS THE IMPASSE WAS BROKEN AUSTRALIA'S RELATIONS WITH ASEAN COULD BE AFFECTED. THIS POLICY WOULD MEAN IN THE LONG TERM THAT -RICH AND DEVELOPED COUNTRIES WOULD SOON HAVE THE LION'S SHARE OF THE
AIR TRADE,
2. THE SINGAPOREAN COUNSELLOR, KISHORE, (PLEASE PROTECT) TOLD GEE THAT THE SUBJECT HAD BEEN DISCUSSED AT THE ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING IN BANGKOK ANDD THAT IT HAD BEEN AGREED THAT OFFICIALS SHOULD MEET AGAIN IN JAKARTA IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO DISCUSS THE ASEAN COMMON APPROACH. HE SAID THAT RETALIATORY MEASURES WERE CONSIDERED. SINGAPORE BY ITSELF COULD NOT AFFORD TO TAKE ACTION SUCH AS REFUSING LANDING PERMISSION TO QANTAS BUT IF ALL THE ASEAN COUNTRIES DID IT WOULD BE AREAL THREAT. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE LIKELIHOOD OF THIS HAPPENING, KISHORE SAID THAT AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL THERE WAS A STRONG DESIRE, PARTICULARLY IN THE CONTEXT OF RECENT EVENTS IN INDO-CHINA, TO MAINTAIN ASEAN SOLIDARITY. HE. ACCEPTED THAT AT THE AIRLINE LEVEL THE INTERESTS OF THE OTHER ASEAN COUNTRIES WERE DIFFERENT FROM SINGAPORE'S BUT EVEN IF ASEAN COULD NOT AGREE ON COMMON RETALIATORY MEASURES IN THE AVIATION FIELD THERE WERE OTHER WAYS IN WHICH THEY COULD HIT AT AUSTRALIA. HE SAID THAT THE AUSTRALIANS WERE ALREADY REGARDED AS TRYING TO DIVIDE THE ASEAN COUNTRIES AND THEY WOULD GET AN EVEN STRONGER REACTION IF THEY SUCCEEDED.
CONFIDENTIAL
/3.GEE