CONFIDENTIAL
144034
MDTTAN 2573
CERTAINLY AN IMPORTANT ROLE FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT BUSINESSMEN WERE DISCOURAGED BY THE PHILIPPINES' POOR IMAGE AND BY THE FAILURE OF THE PHILIPPINES AUTHORITIES TO STIMULATE FOREIGN INVESTMENT. YOU WILL RECEIVE SEPARATELY A NOTE ON SIGUR'S CALL ON THE ODA LATER ON 22 APRIL.
6.
COMMENT.
I WAS STRUCK BY THE IMPLIED CONTRADICTION BETWEEN
SIGUR'S OPTIMISM ABOUT THE PROSPECTS FOR THE PHILIPPINES AND THE US APPEAL FOR A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL AID EXERCISE TO PREVENT
THINGS GOING WRONG.
INDO-CHINA
7.
I SAID THAT CONTINUED SOVIET SUPPORT FOR VIETNAM'S OCCUPATION OF CAMBODIA MADE NO SENSE, A POINT WHICH THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAD MADE MORE THAN ONCE TO SHEVARDNAZE. IT INTERFERED WITH SOVIET RELATIONS WITH ASEAN AND CHINA, AND WAS VERY COSTLY. SIGUR AGREED HE WOULD ENCOURAGE ROGACHEV TO PRESS THE VIETNAMESE TO RESPOND POSITIVELY TO SIHANOUK'S PROPOSALS. HE
ASKED IF INDIA WOULD SEEK GREATER INVOLVEMENT. WE SAID WE THOUGHT THE INDIANS WOULD LIKE THE UK AND USSR TO RECONVENE THE GENEVA CONFERENCE, IN WHICH THEY MIGHT THEN SEEK A LEADING ROLE. I POINTEQ OUT THAT THE VIETNAMESE MUST REALISE THEIR REQUESTS FOR WESTERN AID COULD ONLY BE MET IF THEY WITHDREW FROM CAMBODIA. SIGUR RULEQ OUT US AID, BUT SAID THE US WOULD PLAY A CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN BRINGING VIETNAM BACK INTO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, ONCE A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION HAD BEEN FOUND IN CAMBODIA.
VIETNAMESE
8.
,
REFUGEES
BE
I REVIEWED THE WORSENING SITUATION IN HONG KONG AND THE FUTURE OPTIONS FOR THE TERRITORY IN DEALING WITH THE INFLUX FROM VIETNAM INCLUUING THE POSSIBLE INTRODUCTION OF A SCREENING PROCESS. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE HELP GIVEN BY THE US IN THE PAST, BUT HOPED THAT THE US WOULD NONETHELESS ABLE TO TAKE MORE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG THAN THEY CURRENTLY WERE DOING. SIGUR PREDICTABLY RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT THE UK COULD SET AN EXAMPLE BY TAKING MORE ITSELF (I EXPLAINED THE PRACTICAL AND POLITICAL CONSTRAINTS). SIGUR SAID THE US HAD JUST RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SIDDHI RESTATING THAILAND'S COMMITMENT TO THE FIRST ASYLUM PRINCIPLE. KELLY ADDED THAT THE VIETNAMESE MUST BE PERSUADED TO IMPROVE THE ODP FURTHER. THE US WAS PREPARED TO
ACCEPT THOSE RECENTLY RELEASED FROM THE REEDUCATION CAMPS BUT VIETNAM WAS REFUSING TO LET THEM LEAVE THROUGH THE ODP. THE US
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