CONFIDENTIAL
180
ANGLO-FRENCH POLITICAL DIRECTORS TALKS, LONDON,
20 OCTOBER 1988
CAMBODIA
Those present:
Sir J Fretwell
HKD 243/5
M Dufourcq
ans. I
French Political Director
Ms Colvin
SEAD
Mr Blunt, wed
M Chassard
Counsellor, French Embassy
1. Sir John Fretwell referred to the useful talks on Asia
between Mr McLaren and M Martin on 14 October. The only
real difference between us over Cambodia concerned the role
of the Permanent Five. We had suggested that Cambodia could
be one subject amongst a number on the Five's informal
agenda. The Prime Minister had suggested this to General
Prem in Bangkok. Our intention was not a dramatic
initiative but discussion in the Five was a means of
maintaining pressure on the Chinese and USSR.
behind French reticence? Mr Colvin said that the Secretary
of State had raised the issue with M Dumas at Iannina. It
had seemed that French reservations were a matter of timing
(i.e. there should be no discussion in the Five before the
Sihanouk-Hun Sen meeting on 5 November).
What lay
2. M Dufourcq said that the first priority must be to work
towards national reconciliation. ASEAN could play a useful
role. But Vietnam remained hostile to UN involvement. The
USSR was taking the same line. He did not exclude the
possibility that at a later stage Vietnam might cease to
oppose UN activity. However, discussions with a Vietnamese
Vice Minister two days ago had shown no shift in the
Vietnamese position. The French therefore believed it was
DB5AAT/1
CONFIDENTIAL