TNAG-1747-FCO40-2466-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 175

CONFIDENTIAL

065157 MDLIAN 8973

FOR LORD YOUNG TO OPEN IT AND SUBSEQUENTLY FOLLOW UP THEI A POSSIBLE VISIT BY MR CLARKE EARLY NEXT YEAR.

/

8. I HAVE ALSO PROPOSED (MY LETTER TO HALL OT2, DTI, OF 20 JANUARY) A FEASIBILITY SYUDY ON THE POSSIBLE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PRODUCT DESIGN CENTRE HERE, INTENDED TO MATCH THE EXISTING EXCELLENT GERMAN AND FRENCH TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTES ALBEIT CAPITALISING MORE THAN THEY YET DO ON SINGAPORE'S POSITION AS A REGIONAL SHOWCASE. THIS IDEA HAS NOT FOUND FAVOUR. THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND

I SHALL INDUSTRY DO, HOWEVER, ACCEPT THAT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE AND

THE SHORTLY BE SUGGESTING THAT, IF A PERMANENT CENTRE IS RULED OUT, MOMENT HAS SURELY COME TO EMBARK ON A WIDER INFORMATION ORIENTATED

AND BROAD

COUNCIL/ GUAGED (FC0/DTI/BRITISH COUNCIL/COI/DESIGN PRIVATE BUSINESS), PERHAPS BY A SMALL WORKING PARTY, ON WHAT OUR LONG-TERM (FIVE YEAR?) STRATEGY SHOULD BE: AND HOW, ASSUMING AGREEMENT ON OBJECTIVES, THE RESOURCES MIGHT BE FOUND TO IMPLEMENT IT

-

CERTAINLY OUR CURRENT PIECEMEAL, INHERENTLY SHORT-TERM, APPROACH FAR BELOW THE NEEDS OF THE TIME AS FAR AS SINGAPORE IS CONCERNED.

IS

P IKE

YYYY

ر

ΜΑΙΝ

FCO (PALACE)

SEAD

FED

SOVIET

SPD

HKD

422

ADDITIONAL

1

MR ROBINSON OT2/2C DTI

NNN N

DISTRIBUTION

423

SAD

ECD (E)

ERD

COMED

NAD

4

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL

•