[ CAMBODIA:

CAMBODIA: THE NEXT STEPS. Mr Colvin's minute of 5 Sept]

CA

Miss

CONFIDENTIAL

48

nge Wola

I discussed this submission with Mr Colvin in draft and agree with the recommendations in paragraph 2. The Secretary of State may feel that the submission provides a useful basis for a further office meeting.

2.

We will certainly need to follow up the Prime Minister's remarks in Bangkok about a role for the Five Permanent Members in promoting a Cambodian settlement.

In doing so, we will need to have our own ideas on what role the Five might most usefully play. Before we can

formulate proposals we need a clearer picture of what has been happen- ing over the summer break, in particular, but not only, in the Sino-Soviet talks (on which the latest telegram from Peking, No 1474, adds nothing but speculation). Hence the recommendation, that we should delay sending instructions to Sir C Tickell until after a number of forthcoming contacts.

3. As Mr Colvin points out we are well placed at present to take the lead among the Five. But the analysis in Mr Colvin's submission of 20 July remains valid: our direct interest (other than in the problem of the boat people) is limited and we are not a key player. We should there- fore be careful not to get too far ahead of the field. It should also be borne in mind that it is still no easier than it was in July to see how the circle is to be squared, ie how we can get the Vietnamese out of Cambodia without allowing the Khmer Rouge back in.

HKD 24315

RECEIVED IN REC STRY

IND..

-7 SEP 1988

TRY

-A

TO TARON

вибор

SY OFFICER

5 September 1988

Cc:

PS/Lord Glenarthur

PS/Mr patten

PS/Mr Eggar

PS/PUS

PS/Sir J Fretwell

Mr Gillmore

Mr Gore-BOoth, Planners

Mr Cooper, FED

Mr Wiliams, UND

Mr Hum, HKD

Mr Colvin, SEAD

RJT McLaren

'ན

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