CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
75)
042107
have we got Sley 151 pu lut Sup
Sing
MDLIAN 3949
FM SINGAPORE
Ou
TO PRIORTY FCO
Kila?
TELNO 160
HKD 021/2
021/2
OF 080809Z JULY 93
INFO ROUTINE ASEAN POSTS, HONG KONG, TOKYO, WASI'NGT93 PARIS, INFO ROUTINE BONN, OTTAWA, PEKING, TAIPEI
YOUR VISIT TO SINGAPORE 5-6 JULY: RETROSPECTIVE
SUMMARY
1.
A TIGHTLY-PACKED AND TAXING PROGRAMME PROVIDED A SWIFT INSIGHT INTO SINGAPORE'S MODEL CITY STATE. GOOD EXCHANGES WITH CABINET MEMBERS AND THE BUSINESS ELITE. A MEETING OF MINDS ON MOST ISSUES, ESPECIALLY TRADE, BUT NOT ON HONG KONG. OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED, WITH GOOD MEDIA COVERAGE. AS IMPRESSIVE AS YOU EXPECTED, ONLY MORE SO.
DETAIL
2. IN JUST OVER 28 HOURS IN SINGAPORE, YOU MET THE PRIME MINISTER AND FOUR OF HIS CABINET: A CROSS SECTION OF THE BUSINESS ELITE, BOTH SINGAPOREAN AND BRITISH: HIGH COMMISSION AND BRITISH COUNCIL STAFF: GAVE A MAJOR ADDRESS FOR ASIAN AUDIENCES ON MODERN BRITAIN'S
ROLE TO A PACKED BALLROOM AT THE RAFFLES HOTEL UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES: AND AFTER A 20 YEAR GAP, LOOKED AT SINGAPORE'S IMPRESSIVE CONTAINER PORT AND CITYSCAPE FROM THE SEA AND FROM MINISTERIAL TOWER-BLOCK WINDOWS.
3. GOH CHOK TONG WAS CONVINCING IN HIS QUIET, UNASSUMING WAY
(SINGAPORE TELNO 155). INFORMED, SENSIBLE AND WELCOMING, HE RESPONDED WARMLY TO YOUR INVITATION TO VISIT BRITAIN NEXT YEAR, MENTIONING HIS RETURN VISIT TO GERMANY SCHEDULED FOR APRIL. GOH WAS KEEN TO GET MR MAJOR TO COME HERE AND EMPHASISED HIS WILLINGNESS TO FIT IN WITH ANY ARRANGEMENT DURING THE SEPTEMBER VISIT TO MALAYSIA. YOU AGREED LATER THAT A PROPER VISIT MADE MORE SENSE THAN A FEW SNATCHED HOURS. DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG, AT MY DINNER, CONFIRMED HIS RECOVERY FROM ILLNESS AND APPEARED MUCH MORE RELAXED AND PERSONABLE, BUT NO LESS IMPRESSIVE: YOU RATHER LIKED HIM AND THOUGHT A VISIT TO BRITAIN WOULD BE WORTH OFFERING. I SHALL PURSUE IN BOTH CASES.
4.
YOUR INTERLOCUTORS IN AND OUT OF GOVERNMENT PROVED WORTHWHILE, CONFIDENT AND INFORMED, SPEAKING REALISTICALLY AND FRANKLY OF THEIR AIMS AND CONCERNS WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON TRADE ISSUES.
1
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL
THE