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CONFIDENTIAL
150520
MDHIAN 1767
VISIT TO LONDON. IT WAS CLEAR THAT SIHANOUK NOW HAD THE BIT BETWEEN HIS TEETH.
FPDA
8. LORD GLENARTHUR STRESSED OUR COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE OF FPDA.
MAHATHIR AGREED THAT EXERCISE LIMA BERSATU HAD BEEN A GREAT SUCCESS.
MALAYSIA THOUGHT THAT BRUNEI SHOULD ALSO GO IN: NO OTHER COUNTRY
WOULD OBJECT. LORD GLENARTHUR SAID THAT WE WOULD ALSO BE CONTENT.
IT WAS NOW UP TO THE BRUNEIANS. MAHATHIR SAID THEY MIGHT NEED A
LITTLE PROMPTING.
DEFENCE PACKAGE
9. MAHATHIR SAID IT WAS UP TO THE MALAYSIAN MILITARY TO SET THEIR PRIORITIES FOR EQUIPMENT, SUBJECT ONLY TO BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS. HE HOPED THIS WOULD BE DONE SOON. BUT THE GOVERNMENT
COULD NOT DIRECT THEM. LORD GLENARTHUR STRESSED OUR HOPE FOR
EARLY PROGRESS.
SAIL TRAINING SHIP
10. LORD GLENARTHUR SAID WE WERE DELIGHTED THE SHIP WOULD BE READY
IN TIME FOR CHOGM. MR SPRECKLEY DESCRIBED THE PROGRESS ALREADY
ACTIONED. MAHATHIR SAID HE HAD HEARD THE PRICE WAS NOW HIGHER.
MR SPRECKLEY EXPLAINED THE COMPARISON WITH THE SHIP PRESENTED TO
AUSTRALIA, STS YOUNG ENDEAVOUR. LORD GLENARTHUR COMMANDED CAPTAIN BLAKE. MAHATHIR WAS ENTHUSIASTIC: HE HAD SEEN THE VIDEO OF THE
TRAINING ON BOARD ENDEAVOUR.
DRUGS/AIDS
11. MAHATHIR EXPLAINED THAT HIS MAIN INTEREST IN THE TRAINING
SHIP WAS TO DISTRACT YOUNGSTERS FROM DRUGS. LORD GLENARTHUR
AGREED THIS WAS AN APPALLING PROBLEM. WE HOPED MALAYSIA WOULD SOON
SIGN AN AGREEMENT ON THE TRACING AND FREEZING OF TRAFFICKERS'
ASSETS. MAHATHIR SAID MALAYSIA WAS CERTAINLY READY TO COOPERATE.
DESPITE THE HUGE PROBLEMS IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO STOP THE TRADE
BEFORE IT REACHED THE STAGE (AS IN SOUTH AMERICA) WHERE THE
GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO IMPLICATED.
12. MAHATHIR SAID HE HAD BEEN SHOCKED TO HEAR THAT, IN ORDER TO COMBAT AIDS, AUSTRALIA WERE NOW PROVIDING SYRINGES FILLED WITH HEROIN FOR ADDICTS. LORD GLENARTHUR EXPLAINED THAT, IN
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