cc. Mr Jenkins
БНС
CC ME ATKINSON MED
10 Mitt (CD
From the Private Secretary
CONFIDENTIAL
ET MON)
DROIT
Mr. Colvin, SEAD We will need to consider how to follow up X&Y
10 DOWNING STREET
LONDON SWIA 2AA
PS
завотир
PS/ Lord Caithness
M. McLaren
Mr Burns
Miss Evans, UND
1
19 December 1990
Ir long. EU.
سلام
Simon,
PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING WITH THE PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA
The Prime Minister had a talk this morning with
Dr. Mahathir, who came alone.
The Prime Minister congratulated Dr. Mahathir on his election success. Dr. Mahathir gave an analysis of the elections and the structure of the government's support. This came mostly from the rural areas, and it was a significant achievement to have done well in the election when these areas faced considerable problems, particularly from low commodity prices.
Most of the ensuing conversation was about the Gulf. Dr. Mahathir gave his opinion that there would have to be war. He did not believe that Saddam Hussain could be persuaded to withdraw: he would have to be forced out. He lived in a world of his own, and did not consider international opinion of any consequence. Even if Saddam Hussain did withdraw, it would not solve the problem. He would remain a threat, and would have to be contained.
Dr. Mahathir continued that Malaysia had hesitated over Security Council Resolution 678, but had finally decided to support it after he had received a message from Mrs. Thatcher and a telephone call from President Bush. He had taken a lot of flak from Muslim extremists in Malaysia as a result. The decisive point for him was that it was not fair to expect the Kuwaiti people to wait for sanctions to work and meanwhile just carry on being tortured. Dr. Mahathir continued that his main complaint was that the Americans were not even-handed in dealing with Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and Israel's occupation of the West Bank. It did the United States' reputation no good when they abstained on United Nations' resolutions on the Occupied Territories. There must be some movement on the Palestinian issue: otherwise, even if the Americans defeated Iraq, the situation in the Arab world would turn against them.
The Prime Minister said we were pleased that our defence relationship with Malaysia and with the recent signature of the contract for Hawk aircraft. Dr. Mahathir said he was convinced that Hawk was a better buy for Malaysia than Tornado, even though it meant that some neighbouring countries had more sophisticated aircraft than Malaysia did. He hoped that another purchase would
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