GPS 1225
CONFIDENTIAL
FANOI 16083OZ FEB 79
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK
нки 243/....
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No
2
ANGLO/VIETNAMESE RELATIONS AND AID
12 103
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 74 OF 16/2 AND PRIORITY ODM AND ROUTINE PEKING WASHINGTON HONG KONG CANBERRA BANKOK VIENTIANE;
Р..
391
refryce fice.
219/2
1. I WAS SUMMONED TO SEE MAI VAN BO, HEAD OF EUROPE 11 DEPT OF MFA THIS MORNING. HE REFERRED TO A BBC BROADCAST OF 14 FEB REPORTING A STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT, FROM WHICH HE CONCLUDED THAT THE UK WD NOT GRANT ANY MORE AID TO VIETNAM. HE SAID THAT HITHERTO ANGLO/VIETNAMESE RELATIONS HAD DEVELOPED ON
THE BASIS OF MUTUAL BENEFIT, E G. CONTRACTS FOR SHIPS AND GAS TURBINES. HE WAS SURPRISED AT THE CHANGE OF ATTITUDE ON BRITAINS
PART. THE BBC REPORT SUGGESTED THAT AID HAD BEEN STOPPED BECAUSE
OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN VIETNAM. HE CONSIDERED OUR
ATTITUDE HUMAN RIGHTS TO BE ONE OF SLANDEROUS ACCUSATIONS" AND A '' A MERE PRETEXT" FOR CUTTING AID. THE REAL REASON WAS BRITAINS RELATIONS WITH CHINA: IN THIS CONNECTION HE NOTED THAT THE UK INTENDED TO SELL HARRIERS TO CHINA. BRITAIN HAD STOPPED AID JUST
WHEN CHINA WAS CONCENTRATING TROOPS ON THE BORDER AND THREATENING
VIETNAM. IT WD BE THOUGHT THAT IN THE CONFLICT BETWEEN VIETNAM
AND CHINA, BRITAIN WAS TAKING THE CHINESE SIDE.
VIETNAM MUST THEREFORE ((? GPS OMITTED)) HER '' DEALINGS WITH THE
UK, AND BRITAIN MUST BEAR FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR WORSENING RELATIONS
BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.
2. I REPLIED THAT I WAS AT SOME DISADVANTAGE AS I HAD NOT YET BEEN
INFORMED OF MRS HART'S REMARKS AND CD NOT THEREFORE COMMENT
AUTHORITATIVELY ON THEM. IT WOULD, FOR INSTANCE, BE IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHETHER MRS HART HAD INDEED REFERRED TO ALL AID AS BO HAD SUGGESTED, OR WHETHER A DISTINCTION HAD BEEN DRAWN BETWEEN VARIOUS TYPES OF AID
EG. ECONORIC AND HUMANITARIAN. I WD INFORM HIM FULLY ON THE SUBJECT AS SOON AS I RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS. IN THE MEANTIME I WISHED TO DENY EMPHATICALLY HIS SUGGESTION THAT THE REASON FOR ANY ALTERATION IN AID POLICY, WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN MADE, HAD BEEN BECAUSE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA. HMG WERE CONCERNED AT THE SINO/VIETNAMESE BORDER SIT-
UATION WE DID NOT TAKE SIDES ON THE QUESTION, BUT HOPED THAT ALL CONCERNED WD EXERCISE THE FULLEST POSSIBLE RESTRAINT. AS FOR THE
HARRIERS, HE WD KNOW THAT THIS HAD BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION LONG DEFORE THE WORSENING IN SINO/VIETNAMESE RELATIONS. AS THE
VIETNAMESE AMBASSADOR IN LONDON HAD BEEN TOLD BY BOTH YOU AND MR CORTAZZI, ANGLO/VIETNAMESE RELATIONS HAD INDEED BEEN DAMAGED BY
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