CONFIDENTIAL
ITEM WOULD GO TO POLITICAL COMMITTEE. IT WOULD BE FOR THE CL SER ASEAN STATES TO LEAD OFF WITH PHILIPPINES IN SUPPORT. FIRST OBJECTIVE MUST BE TO RESTATE NEED FOR WITHDRAWAL OF VIETNAMESE TROOPS AND PRINCIPLES FOR A FREE CAMBODIA CAPABLE OF EXERCISING SELF DETERMINATION. IT WAS THEN POSSIBLE THAT DEBATE AND INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS MIGHT LEAD TO SOME PROPOSALS FOR A COMPROMISE GOVERNEMMT IN WHICH SIHANOUK MIGHT HAVE A ROLE DESPITE CHINESE UNWILLINGNESS. MURRAY QUERIED WHETHER. TIMING AND STATE OF FISHTING WOULD BE PROPITIOUS. COLLANTES. HOWEVER BELIEVED RUSSIANS AND VIETNAMESE MIGHT BE READY FOR THIS AND MEANWHILE PHILIPPINES WOULD WANT TO TRY TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM POL POT WHILE STILL SUPPORTING DEMOCRATIC KAMPUCHEA. ULTIMATELY THE WHOLE AFFAIR MIGHT HAVE TO GO TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL (HE CLEARLY
HOPED FOR PHILIPPINES MEMBERSHIP BY THEN) THOUGH HE CONCEDED THIS MIGHT BE A LAST RESORT.
BENTLEY
FILES
SEAD
FK & GD
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
BOAT PEOPLE
UND
FED
EID
PUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS D
P3
PS/LPS
PS/MR BLAKER
PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF
Repetition to
HAVOL......
referred for departmental decision,
repeated as requested to other posts.
MR CORTAZZI
MR STRATTON LORD 'G LENNOX
CONFIDENTIAL