MRB 027/9
11 JAN 1988
Mr Hum
W/31/12
Mr Gillmore
Private Secretary
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LAST PAPER
80
FROM:
R A Burns, SAD
DATE:
30 December 1987
сс
:
Mr McLaren
Mr Hum, HKD
Mr Adams, SEAD
Mr Meyer, News Dept
Mr Gore-Booth,
Planning Staff
SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO SOUTH-EAST ASIA AND SRI LANKA:
SPEECHES
1. In your minute of 18 November to Mr Adams you asked for preliminary advice on topics for the Secretary of State's speeches. Mr Adams has supplied themes for "dinner speeches" in Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore, and for one regional speech in Singapore, and I am inclined to think that a "dinner speech", concentrating mostly on bilateral matters, would be the most appropriate format for Colombo.
2.
Our High Commissioner in Colombo has asked that the speech should not ignore regional themes altogether, although there is no doubt that many of the topics of regional interest (such as the Indian presence in Sri Lanka, the role of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, British interests in the region as a whole) are subjects which could well be misinterpreted in New Delhi. But there is every advantage in recording our continued belief in the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Agreement: although the subject is of obvious interest for India we can use the occasion to reaffirm our support for President Jayewardene's government and for the crucial role played by India. (As things stand at present, the Agreement is facing increasing difficulties, and there is little prospect of a complete return to peace within the next few months).
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