SWB/Monitoring Report
FE/8559/1
Nigel Gx
5 May 87
III THE FAR EAST
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China and France sign judicial co-operation agreement On 4th MayChinese Foreign Munster Wu Xueqian and his French counterpart, Jean-Beinard Rammond, signed an agreement during the latter's visit to China on mutual judicial assistance in civil and commercial matters, according to a Xinhua report on the same day The report cited Chinese Foreign Ministry officials as saying that the agreement was "the first of its kind China has signed with a foreign country”.
Sinn Fein delegation meets North Korean leader On 25th Apul, Yom Tae-chun, member of the KWP Central Committee, met Tomas MacGiolla and Sean Garland, respectively President and General Secretary of the Irish Workers' Party, KCNA reported on 2nd May. The report did not specify where the meeting had taken place.*
Thai-Vietnamese border fighting continuing with "heavy casualties" (FE/8558/1) Fight- ing is still going on in the Thai operation to drive Vietnamese troops from hills near to Chong Bok Pass on the Cambodian-Thai border in Ubon Ratchathani Province, and both sides have suffered "heavy casualties", according to a Thai army spokesman quoted by 'The Nation' of Bangkok on 4th May. "The operation is considered the toughest in the past few years," the newspaper commented.
Thai Foreign Minister's visit to Soviet Union ACM Sitthi Sawetsila will visit the Soviet Union on 10th-14th May, Bangkok home service reported on 4th May.
Thai Interior Ministry to step up anti-drugs campaign The Interior Ministry is to step up its drug suppression campaign, as the cultivation of opium and marijuana is rising, Bangkok home service reported on 4th May. Under the 1987-91 anti-drug policy, the munistry will launch a campaign to discourage highlanders in the north from growing opium and will destroy all marijuana fields throughout the country
Barak
Vanuatu and New Caledonian Kanak leaders deny receiving aid from Libya Sope, Secretary-General of the ruling Vanuaaku Party in Vanuatu, has denied that his country had received arms from Libya, Radio Australia reported on 4th May He said that if there was evidence that Libya was involved in terrorist activity in the South Pacific. Vanuatu would sever all links with Tripoli. He denied that members of his party had received paramilitary training in Libya, and claimed that Australia wanted to maintain its dominant neo-colonial position in the South Pacific. The radio station also reported that leaders of the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front had reaffirmed that they did not want Libyan assistance.
Firebomb attack on office of Fijian minister A special police squad has begun invest- igating the firebombing on 2nd May of the office of Jai Ram Reddy, the Attorney: General and Minister of Justice, Radio Australia reported on the 4th. Reddy played a leading role in forming the National Federation Party-Labour coalition which won power in the April general election, and he was quoted as describing the firebomb attack as obviously political.
* For details see Sections