CO537-6578 — Page 51

XI.

XII.

-13-

62.

Mrs. Barraclough (Rangoon) was making increasing use of R.I.O. material, both positive and negative, and asked for more pamphlet texts for which H.M. Embassy Rangoon would arrange publication.

63.

Mr. Swan (Saigon) pointed out that material in English was of little use since the . second language of the Vietnamese was French, and would like R.I.0. to concentrate more on pictorial and cartoon treatment. Positive material, including information about Malaya and Hong Kong, was very useful and could almost all be placed.

64.

Mr. Rivett-Carnac (Bangkok) would like to be able to use the Chinese Digest from R.1.0. as a circulated magazine, but could not do so unless it

Cartoons were printed instead of cyclostyled.

were successful and more could be used.

65.

All posts used and obtained publication

for items from South East Asia Digest.

Draft paper on Positive Publicity in South-East Asia for submission to the Bukit Serene Conferenco.

66.

The Conference concurred, with slight amendments, on the draft paper which Mr. Malcolm had brought from the Foreign Office (see Appendix "E".) Territories (special problems, staff, etc.)

67.

Could

The Chairman said that he would welcome suggestions from posts for anything more that could be done within the limitations of the presont policy directive. There were several points which he would like to see brought out. we, for instance, assist the governments of Burma, Indonesia and Siam with their own propaganda? what ways could Vietminh propaganda activities be countered? Could any further help be given in the anti-bandit campaign in Malaya? The answers to these questions would be of interest to the Bukit Serene Conference,

In

68.

Mrs. Barraclough (Rangoon) said that her and post had not been fully staffed for s ome time, felt that when it was up to strength more problems might arise. She required a home-based secretary to handle confidential work. She suggested that consideration should be given to the provision of replacements who could be sent to posts while the

She said Information Officers were on home leave. that some interchange of information with the Burmese Government already took place and that they tured more and more to the British and the Americans for assistance, especially in the sphere of education. Visits both to and from the United Kingdom had an excellent effect.

69.

Mr. Rivett-Carnac (Bangkok) said that in order to develop his existing contacts in Govern- ment circles he needed an assistant Information Officer to relieve him of some of the office work.

/Mr. Malcolm..

..