GRS 295
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY KUALA LUMPUR 6504002
FM CANBERRA 050220Z
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
Hkk 184)!
No
Jo12
100
TELEGRAM NUMBER 95 OF 5 FEBRUARY
AND TO IMMEDIATE KUALA LUMPUR DESKBY 050400Z
INFO IMMEDIATE SINGAPORE, BANGKOK, JAKARTA, MANILA, HONG KONG (GOVERNOR AND BCARFE), ROUTINE WELLINGTON.
YOUR TLEGRAM NUMBER 62: UK/AUSTRALIA AIR SERVICES
1. SPOKE ON LINES OF PARAS 2 AND 3 OF TUR TODAY TO ROWLAND
WHO RAISED NO COMPLAINT ABOUT OUR DECISION NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROPOSED AUSTRALIA/ASEAN MEETING AND NOTED THAT WE WOULD WISH
TO CONSIDER WITH AUSTRALIA HOW BEST TO HELP MATTERS ALONG AFTER-
WARDS.
2. ROWLAND SAID THE AUSTRALIANS HAVE NOW RECEIVED A HOLDING REPLY FROM DR MOCHTAR WHICH SAID THAT THE SUGGESTED DATE OF 5 FEBRUARY PROPOSED FOR THE MEETING WAS IMPRACTICABLE FOR THE ASEAN
COUNTRIES AND THAT HE WOULD REVERT TO THE MATTER LATER. THE FORM OF WORDS USED DID NOT ACTUALLY ACCEPT THE INVITATION IN PRINCIPLE
BUT ROWLAND UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS A GOOD DEAL OF ASEAN ACTIVITY
NOT ONLY AT THE POLITICAL LEVEL BUT AMONG AVIATION EXPERTS
PRESUMABLY IN AN EFFORT TO COBBLE TOGETHER A COMMON FRONT, DESPITE THEIR DIFFERING AVIATION INTERESTS.
¿
3. ROWLAND WAS AS DISMAYED AS I WAS TO READ IN 'THE AUSTRALIAN' THIS MORNING DETAILS, IN THE MAIN EXTREMELY ACCURATE, OF THE
PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE DISCUSSED AT ROGERS' TALKS HERE THE WEEK
BEFORE LAST: TEXT IN MIFT. ROWLAND AND I AGREED THAT THIS DISCLO SURE UNDERMINES THE CONFIDENTIALITY ENJOINED IN PARA 2 OF MY TELEGRAM
92 TO KUALA LUMPUR BUT REINFORCES THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESENTING
THEM IN KUALA LUMPUR WITH FULL SUPPORTING ARGUMENTS, AS (IN ROGERS' OWN PHRASE) THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE' AND NOT AS A DICTAT. ROWLAND WAS AT PAINS TO ASSURE ME THAT THE LEAK (ALL TOO TYPICAL HERE I AM AFRAID) HAD NOT COME FROM HIS DEPARTMENT OR HIS MINISTER'S OFFICE, BUT HE AGREED WITH ME THAT IT WILL MAKE HIS TASK OF PRESENTATION AT ANY MEETING WITH ASEAN A GREAT DEAL
HARDER.
CONFIDENTIAL
/ 4. WE WILL CHECK
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.