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Cambodia, Vietnam, boat people, the Spratleys could be taken up under item one. I am even tempted to suggest dropping global economic subjects such as the world economic outlook and the Uruguay Round except in so far as they directly impinge on British regional interests and objectives.
5. If this broad approach is accepted, further time might be saved by the advance circulation of discussion. papers on particular themes. We envisage short papers highlighting discussion topics rather than learned treatises. Any offers, subject to agreement on format and procedure?
6. A further valuable suggestion is the idea in your letter of 24 May to incorporate a short colloquium in the Conference. I enclose a copy of your letter to other addressees. A thematic approach on the lines suggested might be confined to one and a half days, with (A) and (B) taking up the morning of Day 1, (C) the afternoon of Day 1 and the first half of the morning of Day 2, and (D) taking up the second half. This would leave the afternoon of Day 2 free for the colloquium bringing in local academics and officials. The colloquium could either discuss specific subjects omitted from the HOMC Agenda or, more productively, grander themes which might not then need to be raised in the HOMC itself. One theme which would be less UK-specific would be "The Changing Roles of Outside Forces USA, USSR, China, Japan, Europe - in South East Asia in the 1990s". If that is too wideranging for one afternoon, something like "The Changing Role of the United Kingdom in South East Asia in the 1990s" could pick up a number of themes, such as Britain's role in Europe, whether one should fight the Japanese or join them and so on. This might provoke lively contributions from Singaporeans.
7. I would be grateful for your reactions to what are at this stage no more than initial and, I hope, provocative ideas.
yous
ever
DH Colvin
South East Asian Department
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