CONFIDENTIAL
FM KUALA LUMPUR
TO DESKBY 16083OZ FCO
TELNO 619
OF 16030OZ NOVEMBER 88
CONFIDENTIAL
MKD 243/5
M
205
150520
MDHIAN 1767
PA Vbp
16111
U
INFO ROUTINE BANGKOK, JAKARTA, SINGAPORE, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, MANILA INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON, UKMIS NEW YORK, TOKYO, PARIS, HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE UKREP BRUSSELS, HANOI, PEKING
FROM PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
LORD GLENARTHUR'S CALL ON DR MAHATHIR
SUMMARY
1. ONE AND A QUARTER HOUR CALL. MAHATHIR IN AFFABLE MOOD. SOME
SENSITIVITY ON FREE TRADE POST-1992. MEETING OF MINDS ON VIETNAMESE
BOAT PEOPLE AND CAMBODIA. SATISFACTION WITH FIVE POWER DEFENCE
ARRANGEMENTS (FPDA): NO MALAYSIAN OBJECTION TO BRUNEIAN ACCESSION. MAHATHIR PUT ONUS ON MALAYSIAN MILITARY FOR PROGRESS ON DEFENCE PACKAGE (BUT SEE PARAGRAPH 2 BELOW). MAHATHIR PLEASED WITH PLANS ON SAIL TRAINING SHIP. GOOD DISCUSSION OF DRUGS AND AIDS: MAHATHIR'S
DEEP CONCERN CLEARLY GENUINE.
2. STANDARD PITCH ON AIR SERVICES (ASAS). DEEP FRUSTRATION WITH BA (AND WITH SINGAPOREANS). PRESSURE FOR GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION. STRONG, IMPLICIT THREAT TO LINK OTHER DEALS WITH SOLUTION OF ASA IMPASSE.
DETAIL
3. LORD GLENARTHUR CALLED ON MAHATHIR ON 15 NOVEMBER. THE CALL WAS POSTPONED FROM 14 NOVEMBER, AS MAHATHIR HAD 'FLU. ALTHOUGH NOT FULLY RECOVERED, HE GAVE A FULL ONE AND A QUARTER HOURS OF AMIABLE CONVERSATION. MR SPRECKLEY WAS ALSO PRESENT.
MALDIVES
4. AT MAHATHIR'S REQUEST, LORD GLENARTHUR DESCRIBED HIS VISIT TO THE MALDIVES. MAHATHIR SAID THAT INDIA HAD BEEN BEST PLACED TO HELP,
AND HAD NOT NEEDED TO TAKE UP MALAYSIA'S OFFER OF ASSISTANCE. THE INCIDENT HAD PUT THE SECURITY OF SMALL STATES BACK ON THE INTERNATIONAL AGENDA.
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