CONFIDENTIAL
004454
MDLIAN
12
CONFISCATION OF DRUG TRAFFICKERS' ASSETS.
(F)
/
URGED SINGAPOREAN MINISTERS TO REFLECT CAREFULLY ON THE LIKELY
ADVERSE IMPACT ON CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND THUS IN THE LONG
TERM, ON SINGAPORE'S OWN ECONOMY, OF THE INCREASINGLY PUBLIC
SINGAPOREAN EFFORTS TO ATTRACT HONG KONG PROFESSIONALS. CHONG KONG
TELEGRAM ADDRESSED TO FCO NO 1323, NOT REPEATED TO ALL.)
(G)
AGREED WITH DHANABALAN ON THE NEED FOR SUBSTANCE DURING THE
FORTHCOMING EC/ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING IN DUSSELDORF. THIS SHOULD FOLLOW THE PRECEDENT SET IN JAKARTA IN 1986: OPEN AND
INFORMAL DISCUSSION RATHER THAN A SERIES OF SET-PIECE STATEMENTS.
(H) INVITED DHANABALAN TO MAKE AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO BRITAIN AT A
CONVENIENT MOMENT IN SEPTEMBER. HE ACCEPTED IN PRINCIPLE.
3. YOU ALSO :
(A) MADE A MAJOR AND WIDE-RANGEING SPEECH AT A CROWDED LUNCH GIVEN
BY THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE AT WHICH
MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH BUSINESSMEN'S ASSOCIATION WERE ALSO PRESENT. YOUR SPEECH HAS MADE A CONSIDERABLE IMPACT HERE. WE ARE HOPING TO
PUBLISH IT IN BOOKLET FORM AND DISTRIBUTE IT WIDELY, BOTH IN
SINGAPORE AND THE REGION.
(B) MET MEMBERS OF THE HIGH COMMISSION.
(C) OPENED AN EXHIBITION ''SEEING IS BELIEVING'' AT THE NEW BRITISH
COUNCIL BUILDING AND THEN SAW SOMETHING OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
TEACHING HERE INCLUDING THE USE OF ADVANCED COMPUTERISED TECHNIQES.
4. LADY HOWE ALSO CARRIED OUT A VERY FULL PROGRAMME, INCLUDING VISITS TO THE RECENTLY OPENED ST MICHAELS DEPARTMENT STORE IN ONE
OF SINGAPORE'S MODERN SHOPPING CENTRES, AND TO THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL (NUH), ONE OF THE WORLD'S BEST EQUIPPED AND
ORGANISED MEDICAL CENTRES. BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO LEAVE FOR BRUNEI
EARLIER THAN ORIGINALLY PLANNED, THE LATTER VISIT WAS SHORTER THAN
IT IDEALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN. BUT THE MINISTER OF
STATE AND ACTING HEALTH MINISTER, WHO SAW YOU OFF AT CHANGI, TOLD
ME THEN THAT HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO INVITE MR NEWTON TO VISIT SINGAPORE
BOTH TO SEE THE NUH FOR HIMSELF AND TO LOOK AT THE ISLAND'S
MEDICAL FACILITIES. I SHALL BE TAKING UP THIS POSSIBILITY
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