TNAG-1260-FCO40-1600-Briefings-for-Ministers-and-FCO-officials-on-the-future-of-H-1983 — Page 123

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr. Clifik

RECORD OF A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE MINISTER OF STATE AND THE

THAI FOREIGN MINISTER, HELD AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH

OFFICE AT 12.10 PM ON 22 JULY

Mr. Hoare

Had

you

seen

(18)

Present

Mr Luce

Mr Donald

Mr Burges Watson

Miss Bailey

Mr Hope

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Air Chief Marshal Siddhi

HE The Thai Ambassador

Mr Arsa Sarasin

Mr Manaspas Xuto

D

Mr Sarasin, Viraphol

HKK040|11

смни

1 Mr Luce welcomed the Thai Foreign Minister and said that there

were no major bilateral problems. Britain continued to do what

she could to help Thailand militarily and through the aid programme.

2 Mr Luce said there were 3 major issues which he wished to

raise

—

Brunei, Hong Kong and the Falklands. On the Falklands, he

expressed our gratitude for the Thai abstention at the UN last

year. The Argentines had not changed their position at all this

year and had shown no willingness to accept the principle of self-

determination. He very much hoped that we could rely on Thai

support once again.

3 Brunei was now approaching full independence and we were

discussing the position of the Gurkha battalion with them.

understood that Brunei wished to join ASEAN.

We

4 Air Chief Marshal Siddhi said that Brunei would formally be

accepted to membership of ASEAN in Jakarta next January. ASEAN

had been informed about the future deployment of the battalion

and were happy with the explanations they had received.

/pointed

Mr Donald

CONFIDENTIAL