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045467
MDLOAN 1555
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FM FCO
TO ROUTINE BANGKOK
TELNO 83
OF 05162OZ FEBRUARY 88
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS NEW YORK, HANOI, MOSCOW, PARIS
INFO SAVING HONG KONG
THAI-LAO RELATIONS
p.a Ur/Repatriation
1. IVANOV, COUNSELLOR SOVIET EMBASSY, CALLED ON ADAMS SEAD ON 4 FEBRUARY TO RAISE CONTINUING THAI-LAO CONFLICT.
2-
HE WISHED TO DRAW OUR ATTENTION TO THE LAO GOVERNMENT STATEMENT OF 25 JANUARY (WHICH WE HAD ALREADY RECEIVED FROM THE LAO EMBASSY IN PARIS). THE SOVIET UNION SUPPORTED THE LAO STATEMENT AND HAD EXPRESSED THEIR DEEP CONCERN TO THE THAIS AND URGED THEM TO TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO REACH A SOLUTION. THE USSR ALSO HOPED THAT HMG COULD TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO HELP FACILITATE A POLITICAL SETTLEMENT.
3.
ADAMS TOOK NOTE. OUR WISH WAS TO SEE CONFLICTS LIKE THIS RESOLVED SENSIBLY. OUR AMBASSADOR TO THAILAND HAD VISITED THE
DISPUTED AREA AND BELIEVED THAT THE THAIS WISHED TO FIND A SOLUTION. WE WERE NOT OURSELVES IN A POSITION TO JUDGE THE
MERITS OF THE RESPECTIVE ARGUMENTS (ALTHOUGH THERE WAS SOME
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE THAI CLAIM) AND WERE NOT DISPOSED
TO INTERVENE. WE BELIEVED THE THAI AND LAO WERE CAPABLE OF
REACHING A SETTLEMENT THEMSELVES.
4. APART FROM A DISCUSSION OF CAMBODIA ON STANDARD LINES, ADAMS ALSO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THE QUESTION OF ECONOMIC
MIGRANTS IN HONG KONG. HE SAID THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THE
SOVIET UNION WERE TO ENCOURAGE THE VIETNAMESE TO LOOK SERIOUSLY
AT THE PROBLEM AND TO CREATE SATISFACTORY CONDITIONS FOR REPATRIATION, PARTICULARLY OF CERTAIN CATEGORIES. IVANOV SAID THAT
IN HIS PERSONAL VIEW IT WAS AN INTERNAL MATTER FOR THE
VIETNAMESE. HE AGREED TO PASS A MESSAGE TO MOSCOW BUT WITHOUT
ENTHUSIASM.
HOW E
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