TNAG-1252-FCO40-1585-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 159

DEADLINE

Assistants in:

ERD

CRD

MAED

ECD (E) HKGD

SAD UND

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference........

slene

Miss J Mole, OT2/DOT Ming J L Baxter, Rm L727,

HRR 040/5

9 MAR 1983

MEETING BETWEEN DR MAHATHIR AND MRS THATCHER

Briefing

1.

See (63

1/3

(C.)...

and House My Mom's / Whoon Mipse. See also attached

gm.

Pse compim

wist SEAD they Som Y

as necessary'

2) Ace. consider X : D'M.

is particularly interested in AK ik ace. 15 tgm.

But I wd. have thought PM cd-field without brief (Po to Consult No.18?)

will priet Dr Mahathir is to meet the Prime Minister at No 10 Downing Street on the evening of 9 March for a talk lasting 45 minutes or so, followed by dinner. There is no agenda for the meeting.

free We imagine that it will be free-ranging discussion of the state and trend of Anglo/Malaysian relations. We must ensure that adequate briefing is provided to allow the Prime Minister to deal with any of the various points that may be raised by Dr Mahathir in conversation, particularly those he has cited in the past in criticism of UK attitudes towards Malaysia..

2. I should therefore be grateful for contributions in draft set out in the usual way (points to make/essential facts) to reach Mr Bown of this department by close of play on Thursday 3 March, as follows:-

List of Briefs

1.

2.

Anglo/Malaysian relations - SEAD

Commodities (tin, rubber, etc)

-

ERD

But I should be

I think this should be essentially defensive. grateful for ERD's views on whether there are any points we would wish the Prime Minister to make to Dr Mahathir, bearing in mind the need to avoid meaningless provocation.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Student Fees

SEAD/CRD

Air Services (defensive)

MAED/DOT/SEAD

South East Asian matters (Brunei; EC/ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting; Cambodia)

SEAD

Bilateral trade relations

SEAD/ECD(E)

On the future

yes

-

X

CODE

$. I hope ECD (E) can provide briefing to meet criticism from Malaysian quarters that Britain's accession to the European Community diminished opportunities for Malaysian export to the UK. It would also be helpful to have any topical brief that may be required on the current MFA negotiations. And threat of rising rotectionism to world trade (of FT of today P.6).

7 CARCOSA

34.

-

OED/SEAD

I should be grateful for HKGD's views on whether there is any need to include briefs on Hong Kong'or whether the Prime Minister will be sufficiently up-to-date with current developments not to require separate briefing. Like other countries in the

On the Beaipatu Bok.

CONFIDENTIAL

/region