GR 453
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
HICK 184/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO.
7 DEC 1978
706
FM SINGAPORE 040910Z DEC 78
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 392 OF 4 DEC
DESK O
INDEX
No
•ction !
97
INFO PRIORITY CANBERRA, HONG KONG ( FOR GOVERNOR AND BCARFE), BANGKOK JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR, MANILA.
YOUR TELNO 577 TO CANBERRA AND CANBERRA TELNO 612 TO YOU: UK/AUSTRALIA AIR SERVICES.
1. SINCE WE HAVE BEEN TOLD NOT TO TALK TO THE SINGAPORE AUTHORITIES ABOUT THIS I CANNOT GAUGE THEIR REACTION AT FIRST HAND. I SHALL REPORT FURTHER WHEN THE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE TEAM FROM CANBERRA AND THE SINGAPOREANS WHICH BEGAN TODAY ARE OVER, AND I CAN DISCUSS SINGAPORE'S REACTIONS WITH MY AUSTRALIAN COLLEAGUE. BUT I SHALL BE
SURPRISED IF THE AUTHORITIES HERE WILL BE READY TO ENTER INTO CONSULTATIONS WITH US THIS MONTH. AS YOU KNOW SINGAPORE IS TRYING
HARD FOR ASEAN SUPPORT ON THIS ISSUE AND THE ASEAN DIMENSION (WHICH
IT SEEMS FROM KUALA LUMPUR TELNO 514 THE MALAYSIAN CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITIES ARE NOT PREPARED TO IGNORE) IS LIKELY TO BE A DELAYING FACTOR.
1
2. THE OPENING OF THE TALKS HERE HAS PRODUCED A PREDICTABLY STRONG PRESS REACTION. THE NEW NATION EDITORIAL SPEAKS OF A GREAT GAP BETWEEN AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONS OF SUPPORT FOR REGIONAL STABILITY THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR ''ERRATIC DIPLOMACY'' IN TRADE AND CIVIL AVIATION WHICH IS BRANDED AS PROTECTIONIST: ICAP PROPOSALS ARE LIKELY TO UPSET TRADE PATTERNS RATHER THAN STABILSE THENM, AND THE BENEFITS ARE AT BEST DUBIOUSSEMICOLON AUSTRALIA IS PLAYING A DIVIDE AND RULE GAME AND ASEAN MUST BE WARY AND ACT IN CONCERT SEMICOLON THEY HAVE EVERY REASON TO ASK WHY THEIR INTERESTS ALWAYS COME AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT SEMICOLON DOES AUSTRALIAN RELATION- SHIP WITH DEVELOPING NEIGHBOURS COUNT SO MUCH LESS THAN ITS CULTURAL AFFINITIES WITH EUROPE SEMICOLON ASEAN SHOULD GIVE AUSTRALIA THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT WHEREVER POSSIBLE, BUT " IT IS TIME TO ASK WHETHER AUSTRALIA IS WITH ASEAN OR PREFERS ITS OWN JIG”.
CONFIDENTIAL
13. ON
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