CONFIDENTIAL
within the Council of Europe. M. Bariani recalled that France had voted for the Turkish Presidency of the Council of Europe.
The Philippines
9.
She
M. Bariani said that he had met Mrs Aquino during his recent visit to the Philippines. She believed that the guerrilla movement included both communists and people who were anti-Marcos. She was attempting to detach the latter, with some success. The economic problems were massive 15% unemployment and 35% underemployment and even Marcos' friends were now seeking to capitalise on this. But Mrs Aquino remained, and would remain, extremely popular. had been well prepared to take over power. She had studied at Harvard and gave the impression that she knew what she was doing. Her Ministers of Finance, Commerce, the Budget and Agriculture also seemed competent. But with external debt at $26 billion and an economy in ruins, the difficulties were enormous. Mrs Aquino was determined to make a clear distinction between the state and private business interests.
10. M. Bariani commented that Mrs Aquino did not intend to challenge the Philippines' links with the United States, but was keen to develop better relations with Europe. Lady Young recalled that Mr Renton would visit the Philippines towards the end of June. M. Bariani said that there should be discussion among Europeans. Genscher had also visited the Philippines.
**
**
11. Discussion continued over lunch. M. Bariani said that he was about to go to Korea for a seminar of French businessmen, via Indochina and Tokyo. In Indochina it was important to retain French cultural links, while having no illusions about the nature of the regimes in power. He much enjoyed visiting London. Lady Young
invited him to return her own visit.
Latin America
12.
M. Bariani said that M. Chirac was keen to develop closer cultural, scientific and other relations with Latin America and Asia, since French diplomacy had tended to neglect these regions. M. Bariani would be visiting Mexico the following week at the invitation of the Foreign Minister, and he would attend the inauguration of the new Colombian President.
13. Lady Young said that she had made six visits to Latin America in the last three years. She described the general movement towards
CONFIDENTIAL
/democracy