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CONFIDENTIAL
Australia
Hr. Reddaway said that there was a danger in taking Duncan too literally particularly as regards Australia. Mr. Fyjis-Walker confirmed that there was some Australian resistence to co-operation in the field of broadcasting. But as cultural relations links with Australia were at a premium it was noted for formal record that the Committee were aware of the strong need to maintain these traditional ties, and the need to review the matter in the light of a report on the Australian posts which would be made as a result of a "post-Scott" visit by GIPD and COI which would take place soon.
SOUTH-FAST ASIA
Mr. Gordon said that we had to accept that there was nothing much more we could accept in the current financial period. But previous cuts had been so severe that information. work in the area was down to a nearly unacceptable minimum. Mr. Reddaway said it was clear we had hit bottom. We would be allowed few new bodies: the hope for improvements lay rather through new ideas, e.g. the "new IRD".
the "new IRD". Mr. Gordon emphasised the value of the BBC's Vietnamese Service and was content that we had at least kept the Burmese Service. Mr. Reddaway said we had fought a battle with the Prime Minister on this and should now hold our ground.
Mr. Fyjis-Walker said that extra information staff would in any case he difficult to find. The Diplomatic Service was under a general instruction to reduce their staff and this applied to information staff as well.
The British Council
In Vietnam Mr. Gordon hoped for a re-instatement of a Representative as had been the 1968 position. In Khmer it was unsatisfactory that a post manned during the Sihanouk period remained closed when the climate was much better. But in view of the limited money available, if a choice had to be made between the three posts in South-East Asia concerned, Khmer, Vietnam and the Philippines, it was agreed that Manila must regretfully come last; Phnom Penh would have a slight edge over Saigon, since it would cost less and need only one man initially to run the existing facilities, though in the long run of course Vietnam would be the more important.
Mr. Reddaway said that there was a need to cut through the red- tape of the dogma against the use of VSO's, the nomination of Council people as Cultural Attachés and the official encourage- ment of commercial teaching of English.
CONFIDENTIAL
/FAR FAST
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