TNAG-1635-FCO40-2251-Overseas-visits-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-1988 — Page 44

GRS 570

CONFIDENTIAL

FM BANGKOK

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

CONFIDENTIAL

Amended Distribution

027/9

то

2814

sit

TELNO 277

OF 2308JOZ APRIL 37

INFO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA (FOR SECRETARY OF STATE'S PARTY)

INFO IMMEDIATE D T I

HKB 027/9

29 APR 1007

INFO ROUTINE MOSCOW

MY TELNO 274 :

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT 20-22 APRIL

1.

THIS WAS THE THIRD VISIT TO THAILAND BY A BRITISH

CABINET MINISTER IN SIX MONTHS, FOLLOWING MR JOPLING'S

THESE

VISIT IN OCTOBER AND MR YOUNGER'S LAST MONTH.

VISITS HAVE MORE THAN COMPENSATED FOR THAI DISAPPOINTMENT

THAT THE PRIME MINISTER WAS NOT ABLE TO INCLUDE THAILAND

DURING HER 1995 S.E. ASIAN TOUR. FOLLOWING ON FROM THAI

PRIME MINISTER PREM'S SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO LONDON LAST MONTH, THE THAIS ARE NOW (NOW) AS CONVINCED AS THEY ARE

EVER LIKELY TO BE OF BRITISH GOODWILL AND SUPPORT AND OF

OUR DETERMINATION TO DEVELOP TRADE AND INVESTMENT.

2. THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT WAS UNUSUALLY COMPLEX TO ARRANGE BECAUSE IT COINCIDED WITH THE CELEBRATION IN

BANGKOK OF ESCAP'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY: DOVETAILING THE

VARIOUS CALLS TO FIT IN WITH THAI RESPONSIBILITIES AS

HOST TO BOTH ESCAP AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND WITH THE INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMME OF THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER, WITH WHOM THE SECRETARY OF STATE WISHED TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS, REQUIRED MUCH PATIENCE AND COMPROMISE. IN THE EVENT, THE ARRANGEMENTS WORKED VERY SMOOTHLY, BUT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE DEVOTION AND EFFICIENCY OF MY STAFF IN REARRANGING

PROGRAMME DETAILS IN SOME CASES AT VERY SHORT NOTICE.

IN RETROSPECT, WE MIGHT HAVE TRIED FOR A CALL ON HM THE

KING: SIDDHI TOLD THE SECRETARY OF STATE THAT HE WOULD

HAVE DONE HIS BEST TO ARRANGE THIS. HOWEVER, TIME WAS

VERY SHORT AND WE HAD UNDERSTOOD THAT HM THE KING MIGHT

BE PLANNING TO MEET ALL MINISTERS IN BANGKOK FOR THE ESCAP SESSION IN A JOINT AUDIENCE.

3. IN HIS DISCUSSIONS WITH PREM AND SIDDHI, THE THAIS WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION THAT THE CAMBODIAN PROBLEM HAD BEEN RAISED DURING THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO MOSCOW. THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT WAS

PARTICULARLY TIMELY IN VIEW OF SIDDHI'S FORTHCOMING VISIT

TO THE SOVIET UNION (10-14 MAY). THE SOVIET AMBASSADOR

HAS TOLD ME THAT HE DETECTED IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S

PUBLIC STATEMENTS A HARDENING OF THE BRITISH ATTITUDE SINCE

THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S TALKS ON CAMBODIA WITH

SHEVARDNADZE.

PROBLEM.

MOSCOW HAS NO KEY TO UNLOCK THE CAMBODIAN

CONFIDENTIAL

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