t
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FM CANBERRA
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RPA
06111
20
1990
1 Fl. like a
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER NFR
KELL STT SAMA VON
OF 15003OZ NOVEMBER 90
FROM DHC
copy for llv.
times and
Quis on
[Ex
سالانه
67
072405
MDTTAN 2377
Mr. Wasstor
Wasson%
back to wr
ы
ART
15/x1
FOLLOWING FOR A R THOMAS ESQ, SPD FCO
SUBJECT: UK/AUSTRALIA OFFICIALS' TALKS.
25/4.
1. I HAVE DISCUSSED YOUR TELELETTER OF 16 OCTOBER WITH THE HIGH COMMISSIONER.
2. WE HAVE NOT YET HAD ANY APPROACH FROM THE AUSTRALIANS, AND SUSPECT WE SHALL HAVE TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE. WHILE THEY VALUE THE TALKS, THEY FIND PREPARATION FOR THEM SOMETHING OF A BURDEN AND ARE PROBABLY CONTENT FOR THE GAP BETWEEN ROUNDS TO STRETCH TO AS MUCH AS 1
18 MONTHS. I THEREFORE THINK YOUR SUGGESTION OF MAY IS A GOOD ONE, BECAUSE IT BROADLY FITS
IN WITH THAT SCENARIO. I SHOULD SAY, THOUGH, THAT SIR DAVID WILSON WILL BE IN AUSTRALIA ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT FROM 9-14 MAY AND IT WOULD BE BETTER TO AVOID A CLASH OF THE TWO. WE ARE NOT ATTRACTED BY THE IDEA OF TALKS IN APRIL. THE MAIN DISADVANTAGE IS THAT WE MAY (BUT DO NOT YET KNOW FOR SURE) HAVE ONE OR TWO MINISTERIAL VISITS THEN, AND ALTHOUGH THEY WOULD NOT CONFLICT WITH OFFICIAL TALKS, THE COMBINATION COULD GIVE US SOME ADMINISTRATIVE HEADACHES THAT ARE BETTER AVOIDED. ANOTHER CONSIDERATION, AT LEAST FROM THIS END, IS THAT THE LATER WE HOLD THE TALKS THE MORE CHANCE THERE WILL BE THAT THEY WILL NOT HAVE TO BE CANCELLED BECAUSE OF PREOCCUPATION WITH THE GULF: AND THE MORE CHANCE THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE POST-GULF SITUATION.
3. SEONDLY, WE ENTIRELY AGREE THAT POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC TALKS SHOULD BE SEPARATE. BUT WE DO NOT SEE ANY DIFFICULTY IN PERSUADING THE AUSTRALIANS OF THAT, SINCE THEY WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS US IN FINDING A MUTUALLY CONVENIENT DATE FOR ALL THE PRINCIPALS LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED IF THE TWO WERE COMBINED.
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I UNDERSTAND THAT THE LAST TIME THE TALKS WERE HELD IN CANBERRA THEY WERE HEAVILY ORIENTED TOWARDS POL/MIL, WITH THE UK TEAM LED BY JOHN BOYD IN HIS THEN CAPACITY AS THE DUS (DEFENCE
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