CONFIDENTIAL
7.
the Soviet Union was against the KR and the Chinese wanted Vietnamese withdrawal. The key lay in the detail. It was difficult to transform our ability to assist after a settlement into leverage for a settlement. In any case, post settlement aid was largely posited on Japanese willingness to pay. There were some signs of Japanese irritation at this. Dr Zeller said that Europe could finance UN peace-keeping forces.
6.
Dr Zeller said that only Hun Sen and Sihanouk were genuinely interested in a settlement of the situation. All other parties had their own interests. He agreed that Zimbabwe and Cambodia were not comparable. There was no-one who took responsibility for Cambodia. Dr Ahrens reported remarks by China which put some distance between their position and that of the KR. They did 'not wish to lose face. Mr McLaren said that there was only Sihanouk who enjoyed universal respect in Cambodia though he would not necessarily be an effective coalition leader. Dr Zeller saw Hun Sen as an alternative. All we could do at present was speculate. Direct talks between China and Vietnam were perhaps the next step. Vietnam was prepared to move to a certain degree: Hun Sen was a blockage.
Mr McLaren asked Dr Zeller what was the climate in the FRG for the
Dr Zeller said that the FRG provision of aid to Vietnam and Cambodia.
The FRG Embassy in Hanoi had now been provided humanitarian aid. tasked to identify "NGOS" for the possible provision of aid partway between humanitarian and developmental. This was an initiative begun in the Bundestag. Present thinking was concentrating on regional organisations or eg artisanal cooperatives which could benefit from
There was no government to government aid improved tools/machinery.
under discussion. The FRG was also trying to get onto terms with
State Minister Schäfer, after his mid-level leadership in Vietnam. recent visit, had suggested contacts with younger leaders who may be
They would be invited open to influence from Western Economic ideas.
to the FRG to learn of alternative economic models.
8. Dr Ahrens said that there had been less humanitarian aid in 1988 than planned. He was pessimistic about the chances of find "NGO" partners.
The Aid to Cambodia was dealt with in the same way as for Vietnam. Trade had also decreased in the last year from 40m to 38m (DM). Ostasiatischer Verein (East Asian Association) would open an office in
obvious point. Hanoi in Spring 1989, though without any
9.
Dr Zeller asked whether HMG had plans to engage Hanoi in a dialogue Mr McLaren described recent contacts over Vietnamese Boat People in Hong Kong. Dr Ahrens asked for understanding that the FRG had been unable to support publicly the recent Hong Kong Government/HMG change
The FRG wanted to be helpful of policy on Vietnamese Boat People.
but there were doctrinal reasons to do with Eastern Europe why the FRG could not support non-voluntary repatriation to a communist country.