CONFIDENTIAL 4.
12. Mr Phan Wannamethee said that the Communist Party of Thailand
was Peking-orientated but that they used to receive training and
aid from Vietnam. The Soviets were, however, a strong element in
Laos, The Soviet effort in the Third World was largely concentrated
on cultural affairs and intelligence. The Soviet diplomatic mission
in Bangkok, for instance, contained some of the top men in Soviet intelligence (they claimed that this was not to watch the Thais but
to observe China). However, they were known to make visits to
Southern Thailand rather than the North. As for ASEAN, the Thai
Prime Minister had been told in Moscow earlier this year that the
USSR did not support any regional grouping.
:
13. Mr Saleh said that Indonesia was against communism whether of
the Soviet or Chinese variety. If the Soviet aim was to delay the
development of China and contain her, this was promising. How far
the Russians could do it, however, was an open question. They might
endanger the stability of South East Asia in the process. In his
view, there was a danger to the region not from Soviet warships but
from the growth of the Soviet merchant marine. Mr Mallaby said that
the USSR could not prevent China becoming a world power; they
probably did not even think they could. But they would do all they
could to slow down the process. The development of the Soviet
merchant and fishing fleets was part of the policy of enhancing the
USSR's world-wide presence and influence. It also had an economic
objective to undercut free market prices for merchant shipping.
14.
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Mr Cortazzi then gave a brief description of his recent visits to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Delhi, emphasizing in particular the plight of the refugees in Hong Kong where he visited four camps.
In Delhi the Secretary of State had spoken strongly about the refugee
situation and had urged the Indian Government to take a stronger
line with Vietnam.
CONFIDENTIAL
/15.