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will are
A useful point with might deploy,
publicly. Alla
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have been consistent with the view that she does not want international agencies in Cambodia at the moment; but that if, because of world opinion, she has to accept the presence of ICRC/UNICEF, it should be as small as possible and should bring some compensatory advantages in the field of recognition. They are also consistent with the view that the Vietnamese wish to use famine as a weapon against the Pol Pot forces. The ICRC/UNICEF policy of pushing ahead regardless is fine stuff; and probably Bugnion is the only man tough and determined enough to get away with it. But it may well end in a fiasco or failure I hope not. May I add that I think Vietnam's attitudes and actions over the Cambodian famine have to be put on a par with the refugee "racket" as an appalling example of her disregard for human life.
The Economy
7% Vietnam's policies towards China and Cambodia continue to ruin her economy and increase her dependence on the Soviet Union. In his speech on 1 September to the National Assembly, Le Than Nghi (the Politbureau member with particular respon- sibility for the economy) virtually admitted the failure of the country's economic plans. Life is getting ever harder for the man in the street. Consumer goods, even of the simplest kind, are getting noticeably scarcer. There is, for example, a grave shortage of soap. Clothes are increasingly washed by dipping them in water: the Vietnamese now have a word which literally means "washing without". Last month the government thought it necessary to remove certain regulations on the transport and sale of foodstuffs in order to deal with shortages and price increases. This is not a serious falling away from the dearly held principles of a managed economy; but it is a further indication of the seriousness of the situation that the government should have decided to do this. The worsening economic situation is reflected in a marked increase of theft and (surprisingly) of prostitution in Hanoi. Grumbling is widespread. I have no doubt corruption is increasing. Some of my diplomatic colleagues now talk of a popular malaise. Certainly the situation has deteriorated significantly over the summer
months.
Internal Political
8. One has to ask oneself, can this malaise crystallise into opposition which could in turn be translated into political action? It is twenty-three years since there was a major move against the leadership. The circumstances then of opposition to agrarian reform, which included the massacre of many thousands. were very different from those of today. Ho Chi Minh had only ruled for two years and the subject of
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/discontent