1
THE
FALL DURING THE OFFICIAL VISIT AND WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY,
IN THE MINISTER'S SPEECH PROPOSING THE TOAST, TO REINFORCE OUR
APPRECIATION OF A REMARKABLE YEAR FOR BILATERAL RELATIONS.
MINISTER MIGHT EMPHASISE THAT IT HAS BEEN MOST FITTING THAT THE
RATTANAKOS IN BICENTENNIAL YEAR SHOULD HAVE WITNESSED SO MANY
VALUABLE HIGH-LEVEL CONTACTS (THE LIST MIGHT BE EXPANDED TO
INCLUDE THE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON'S VISIT, THE PERFORMANCES TO
TAKE PLACE LATER THIS MONTH IN BANGKOK OF THE ROYAL SADLER'S
WELLS BALLET COMPANY AND THE INAUGURATION OF THE BUDDHIST
TEMPLE IN WIMBLEDON). 1982 HAS ALSO BEEN GOOD FOR ECONOMIC LINKS
AND IN THESE CONTACTS THE MINISTER MIGHT BRIEFLY MENTION T OTC
AND MINI · HYDROS. LOOKING FORWARD, LORD BELSTEAD MIGHT WISH TO REASSURE THE THAIS THAT HMG WILL STRIVE TO MAINTAIN THIS IMPETUS
IN ANGLO-THAI RELATIONS (WE HAVE IN PROSPECT FOR NEXT YEAR, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT YET FIRM, VISITS BY MR REES,MINISTER FOR TRADE, AND BY YOURSELF FOR THE 4TH EC/ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS
MEETING IN BANGKOK IN FEBRUARY). LORD BELSTEAD MIGHT MENTION HOW
MUCH BRITAIN VALUES SUCH FRIENDLY AND COOPERATIVE CONTACTS WITH
A PARTNER IN THIS GEOGRAPHICAL REGION WHICH HAS SEEN DURING THE
PAST 25 YEARS TREMENDOUS ECONOMIC GROWTH DESPITE POLITICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE WARS IN INDOCHINA. BRITAIN IS READY TO PLAY HER PART IN HELPING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. A REFERENCE COULD BE INCLUDED HERE TO AID FOR THE CGDK, IF APPROPRIATE. IN THE LONGER TERM THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A NEED TO MAINTAIN AN
EFFECTIVE AND SUBSTANTIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THAILAND AS A MEMBER OF AN IMPORTANT ECONOMIC GROUPING WHICH UPHOLDS, AS DOES BRITAIN, BASIC UN CHARTER PRINCIPLES. LORD BELSTEAD MIGHT CONCLUDE BY REAFFIRMING TO OUR THAI, AND THROUGH THEM OUR ASEAN, FRIENDS THAT BRITAIN WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IN EC FORA AND OUTSIDE J BASIC ASEAN POLICIES ON INDO-CHINA.
BEYOND THOSE TWO OCCASIONS, WE ALSO HAVE A POSSIBLE PRESS CONFERENCE, AT WHICH LORD BELSTEAD MAY WISH TO MAKE AN OPENING STATEMENT WHICH WOULD COVER THE MORE OBVIOUS ISSUES: E.G.
CAMBODIA AND REFUGEES, HMG'S POLICY ON HONG KONG AND THE FALKLANDS. THE PRESS CONFERENCE WOULD THEN TAKE THE FORM OF A QUESTION AND
ANSWER SESSION, ASSUMING LORD BELSTEAD AGREES WITH THAT FORMAT.
5. I DOUBT IF IT IS NECESSARY ON THIS OCCASION FOR A STATEMENT TO BE ISSUED TO THE PRESS ON LORD BELSTEADS ARRIVAL ON 12 DECEMBER.
STAPLES
NNNN
GRS 670
Х
НК
HK she not J
живе crisse be
whuntered. Pl. discuss
brijf with SEAD
(M. Mesta av der Hope)
3470
Dup
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