TNAG-1787-FCO40-2547-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1988 — Page 95

CONFIDENTIAL

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MDLIAN 1295

WHILE DESIRABLE, THIS WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE POSSIBLE GIVEN THE EVIDENT INDIAN LACK OF INTEREST IN THE TWELVE. FRETWELL POINTED OUT THAT THIS ORIGINATED IN PART FROM THE COMMUNITY'S COOLNESS TOWARDS INDIA AT THE TIME OF UK ACCESSION WHEN ASIA HAD BEEN LEFT ON THE SIDELINES. LONG-TERM EFFORT ON THE ECONOMIC AS WELL AS THE POLITICAL FRONT, MIGHT BE NEEDED TO OVERCOME THIS. BURGHARDT (COMMISSION) SOUGHT TO ARGUE THAT THE INDIANS CURRENTLY HAD NO ECONOMIC GROUNDS FOR DISSATISFACTION WITH THE COMMUNITY AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION THE PRESIDENCY CONCLUDED THAT THE COMMITTEE

SHOULD UNDERLINE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING THE INDIAN AUTHORITIES MORE AWARE OF EPC AND OF REINFORCING THE IDENTITY OF THE TWELVE IN INDIA.

4. VIJVERBERG (NETHERLANDS) SUGGESTED THAT THE POLICY PLANNING WORKING GROUP MIGHT LOOK AT INDIA, AS IT HAD JUST DONE WITH JAPAN. SOME DOUBT WAS EXPRESSED ABOUT OVERLAP IN THE WORK OF THE PLANNING AND ASIAN WORKING GROUPS. THE PRESIDENCY UNDERTOOK TO RETURN TO THE

SUGGESTION WHEN POLICY PLANNING IS DISCUSSED ON 31 MAY.

CAMBODIA:

5. THERE WAS A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE WORKING GROUP'S

RECOMMENDATION OF A TROIKA MEETING WITH PRINCE SIHANOUK IN THE

MARGIN OF THE MEETING OF ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS WITH DIALOGUE

PARTNERS ON 6-9 JULY IN BANGKOK. ALL WERE CONTENT WITH THE PROPOSAL

PROVIDED THAT SIHANOUK TAKES PART IN HIS PERSONAL CAPACITY ONLY.

PRINCIPLE, THE TROIKA WOULD BE AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL. THE PROPOSAL WOULD BE PUT TO THE MINISTERIAL EPC MEETING ON 13 JUNE FOR ENDORSEMENT.

PHILIPPINES:

IN

6. VON RICHTHOFEN SAID THAT BOTH THE AMERICANS AND THE JAPANESE HAD SHOWN INTEREST IN THE TWELVE'S ATTITUDE TO THE PLAN OF ASSISTANCE TO

THE PHILIPPINES. THE PRESIDENCY FELT THAT THE TWELVE SHOULD IN

GENERAL BE RECEPTIVE TO THE IDEA OF A JOINT INTERNATIONAL EFFORT: NOT NECESSARILY INVOLVING ADDITIONAL FUNDS, BUT CO-ORDINATION OF AID. MURPHY (IRELAND) AND NOIVILLE (FRANCE) EXPRESSED SOME CAUTION.

EXISTING AID ALLOCATIONS WERE NOT BEING FULLY UTILISED AND CA FRENCH

POINT) THERE WAS A PRESSING NEED FOR AGRARIAN REFORM IN THE

PHILIPPINES. THE PRESIDENCY CONCLUDED THAT THE WORKING GROUP SHOULD STUDY THE SUBJECT FURTHER BEFORE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS WERE PUT TO THE POLITICAL COMMITTEE.

VIETNAM:

7. FRETWELL SAID THE UK WAS MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONTINUING FLOW

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