TNAG-1792-FCO40-2552-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 57

RESTRICTED

046471

MDLIAN 9748

RELATIONS INDIA'S POLITICAL RELATIONS WITH EUROPE SEEM TO BE

LESS SUBSTANTIAL THAN ITS RELATIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AND COULD BE IMPROVED. AS A MEANS OF ENHANCING THE DIALOGUE, THE GROUP FELT THAT BESIDES THE TROIKA MEETINGS WITH INDIA,

MEETINGS OF THE AMBASSADORS OF THE TWELVE WITH HIGHRANKING

INTERLOCUTORS IN NEW DELHI COULD ALSO BE USEFUL. IT NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT A BALANCE WITH THE APPROACH OF THE TWELVE IN I SLAMABAD MIGHT HAVE TO BE FOUND.

THE GROUP TOOK NOTE OF THE IMPORTANT FACT THAT JAPAN HAS BECOME THE BIGGEST DONOR OF AID TO INDIA AND THAT IT IS PRESENTLY THE MOST POPULAR COUNTRY IN INDIAN PUBLIC OPINION

POLLS. IT THEREFORE SUGGESTED TO THE POLITICAL COMMITTEE TO

A SK THE AMBASSADORS IN NEW DELHI AND TOKYO TO ANALYSE THE RECENT EVOLUTION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN INDIA AND JAPAN AS

WELL AS THE JAPANESE PRESENCE IN INDIA.

CONCERNING THE RELATIONS BETWEEN INDIA AND SRI LANKA THE GROUP NOTED THAT A WITHDRAWAL OF INDIAN TROOPS WAS BEING

CONSIDERED IN NEW DELHI.

IN THE CONTEXT OF INDIAN-PAKISTANI RELATIONS THE PROBLEM OF NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION IN THE AREA HAS ALSO BEEN RAISED.

THE GROUP ALSO HAD AN EXCHANGE OF VIEWS ON THE SUBJECTS TO

BE DISCUSSED AT THE MINISTERIAL TROIKA MEETING ON 7 JUNE.

2.

KOREA

THE GROUP DISCUSSED THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN SOUTH KOREA AFTER THE RECENT PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, WHICH IT REGARDED AS A FURTHER STEP TOWARDS DEMOCRATIZATION. IT EXPRESSED THE

VIEW THAT A PERIOD OF POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY MIGHT BE

EXPECTED AFTER THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN CONNECTION WITH THE

PLANNED REFERENDUM.

IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF SOUTH KOREA WITH

CHINA ARE DEVELOPING POSITIVELY.

CONCERNING THE RELATIONS BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA THE GROUP NOTED THAT SOUTH KOREA HAD ACTED WITH MODERATION AFTER

THE DOWNING OF THE SOUTH KOREAN AIRPLANE.

2

PAGE

RESTRICTED