THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN 40 YEARS UNDER FOI CLOSED FOR
EXEMPTION No. 27 (1),40/2
9.
4. HE MAY WELL WANT TO HAVE HIS SAY ON COMMODITY PRICES AND THOUGH WE HAVE HEARD LITTLE RECENTLY ABOUT THE LONDON METAL EXCHANGE WE
CANNOT EXCLUDE THE POSSIBILITY OF HIS BRINGING UP WHAT HE SEES AS INEQUITIES IN THE PRESENT SET UP. SIMILARLY HE MAY MENTION THE STOCK EXCHANGE RULES AND IN THAT CASE I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WORTH REMARKING THAT EVEN AS REVISED IN 1981 THEY STILL LEAVE AMPLE SCOPE FOR FOREIGN TAKE-OVERS OF BRITISH FIRMS AND ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, FAR LESS ONEROUS THAN REGULATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, WHERE NEVERTHE- LESS BRITISH COMPANIES HAVE MADE NUMEROUS SUCCESSFUL TAKE-OVER BIDS
IN RECENT YEARS.
4.
A
1
5. ON OUR RELATIONS GENERALLY I THINK IT WOULD HELP IF THE PRIME MINISTER WERE ABLE TO SAY THAT ALL MALAYSIA'S MANY BRITISH FRIENDS, BOTH IN GOVERNMENT AND IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, HAVE TAKEN FULL HEED OF WHAT DR MAHATHIR AND OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE ARISEN BETWEEN US AND THAT SHE FEELS SURE THERE IS NOW A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF MALAYSIAN PROBLEMS AND POLICIES AND A STRONG WILL TO RE-ESTABLISH A WARM AND GOOD RELATIONSHIP ON MORE UP TO DATE LINES. EVEN THE MEDIAN ABOUT WHICH HE IS LIKELY TO COMPLAIN, HAS BEEN SHOWING SLIGHTLY MORE UNDERSTANDING RECENTLY.
6. ON UNIVERSITY FEES IT WOULD WITHOUT QUESTION GO DOWN WELL IF DR MAHATHIR WERE TOLD THAT, WHILST AN INDEFINITE CONTINUATION OF UL! SUBSIDY FOR COMMONWEALTH AND FOREIGN STUDENTS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE FOR ANY BRITISH GOVERNMENT, WE REGRET WITH THE ADVANTAGE OF HINDSIGHT THAT WE DID NOT TAKE CLOSE FRIENDS LIKE MALAYSIA INTO OUR CONFIDENCE ABOUT PLANNED INCREASES AND TRY TO WORK OUT A GRADUATED SCHEME WHICH WOULD AVOID UNDUE HARDSHIP FOR THEIR STUDENTS. THE SPECIAL HELP FOR COMMONWEALTH STUDENTS GENERALLY AND THOSE FOR
MALAYSIA IN PARTICULAR WHICH WE RECENTLY HAVE ANNOUNCED WAS DESIGNED
AT ANY RATE IN PART TO DEMONSTRATE OUR REGRET ABOUT THIS EARLIER
LACK OF CONSULTATION.
7.
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1
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节
i