TNAG-1748-FCO40-2467-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 272

DRAFT

CONFIDENTIAL

VISIT BY SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE PHILIPPINES, 27-29 MAY 1988

STEERING BRIEF

1.

Mr

This will be the first visit to the Philippines by a British

Foreign Secretary since Lord Carrington's visit in January 1982.

Renton visited as FCO Minister in June 1986 to attend an EC/ASEAN

meeting, and Lord Glenarthur visited the Philippines during a tour

of South East Asia and the Pacific in September 1987. There have

been few other high-level visits in recent years. The Secretary of

State has not met President Aquino before, but he met Foreign Secretary Manglapus at the EC/ASEAN meeting in Duesseldorf earlier this month. Mr Manglapus will visit the UK as Guest of Government

from 20-23 June.

OBJECTIVES

2. The main objectives are:

(a) to underline our continuing support for President Aquino.

(b) to promote a positive climate for British trade and investment

interests, and in particular to encourage the Philippines to improve

the environment for inward investment.

(c) to underline the positive contributions we have made to the

Philippines on debt, aid, military training and scholarships.

(d) to make clear our view that the continued presence of US bases

in the Philippines enhances regional security.

(e) to encourage Mrs Aquino to take up her standing invitation to

visit the UK, later in 1988 or early in 1989.

PHILIPPINES OBJECTIVES

3.

Philippine objectives will probably include:

(a) to make use of the visit to demonstrate support for Mrs Aquino's

civilian administration.

(b) to press for more bilateral aid from UK and seek a commitment to the US-sponsored 'Mini-Marshall Plan'.

(c) to press for debt relief.

CPLACR

CONFIDENTIAL