TNAG-1788-FCO40-2548-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1988 — Page 71

CONFIDENTIAL

180

ANGLO-FRENCH POLITICAL DIRECTORS TALKS, LONDON,

20 OCTOBER 1988

CAMBODIA

Those present:

Sir J Fretwell

HKD 243/5

M Dufourcq

ans. I

French Political Director

Ms Colvin

SEAD

Mr Blunt, wed

M Chassard

Counsellor, French Embassy

1. Sir John Fretwell referred to the useful talks on Asia

between Mr McLaren and M Martin on 14 October. The only

real difference between us over Cambodia concerned the role

of the Permanent Five. We had suggested that Cambodia could

be one subject amongst a number on the Five's informal

agenda. The Prime Minister had suggested this to General

Prem in Bangkok. Our intention was not a dramatic

initiative but discussion in the Five was a means of

maintaining pressure on the Chinese and USSR.

behind French reticence? Mr Colvin said that the Secretary

of State had raised the issue with M Dumas at Iannina. It

had seemed that French reservations were a matter of timing

(i.e. there should be no discussion in the Five before the

Sihanouk-Hun Sen meeting on 5 November).

What lay

2. M Dufourcq said that the first priority must be to work

towards national reconciliation. ASEAN could play a useful

role. But Vietnam remained hostile to UN involvement. The

USSR was taking the same line. He did not exclude the

possibility that at a later stage Vietnam might cease to

oppose UN activity. However, discussions with a Vietnamese

Vice Minister two days ago had shown no shift in the

Vietnamese position. The French therefore believed it was

DB5AAT/1

CONFIDENTIAL