CONFIDENTIAL
052026 MDHOAN 3854
HASSAN SAID THAT AS A RESULT OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S TALK WITH DR
MAHATHIR ON 6 AUGUST, THE MALAYSIANS HAD AGREED TO LOOK AT A MEETING IN THE THIRD WEEK OF OCTOBER. THE PROBLEM WITH OUR PROPOSAL WAS THAT, WITH A TWO-DAY RETREAT OVER THE WEEKEND, IT EFFECTIVELY MEANT THERE WOULD BE ONLY 3 WORKING DAYS. A GREAT
DEAL OF MONEY HAD ALREADY BEEN SPENT ON FACILITIES FOR THE
RETREAT ON LANGKAWI WHICH WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT EVENT IN TERMS
OF DOMESTIC POLITICS. A MINIMUM OF TWO NIGHTS AT THE RETREAT WAS THEREFORE DESIRABLE. HOWEVER, IF THE MEETING BEGAN ON 18 RATHER THAN 19 OCTOBER, THERE COULD BE FOUR WORKING DAYS AS WELL AS A TWO DAY RETREAT: HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MIGHT LEAVE FOR LANGKAWI ON THE
EVENING OF FRIDAY 20 OCTOBER AND RETURN ON THE AFTERNOON OF SUNDAY 22 OCTOBER. DISCUSSIONS COULD CONTINUE ON 23 OCTOBER WITH
THE CLOSING CEREMONY ON THE MORNING OF 24 OCTOBER AND DEPARTURE THAT AFTERNOON. THE SECRETARY OF STATE TOOK NOTE, BUT WARNED THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR FIVE DAYS OVERALL.
A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WORK COULD BE DONE DURING THE RETREAT.
ABU HASSAN SUGGESTED THAT THE PRIME MINISTER AND DR MAHATHIR
SHOULD DISCUSS THE MATTER FURTHER ON 27 SEPTEMBER. OF STATE AGREED.
THE SECRETARY
AT THE END OF THE DISCUSSION ABU HASSAN TOUCHED ON DRUGS
COOPERATION. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAID WE WERE GLAD MALAYSIA
HAD ACCEPTED A VISIT BY A UK TEAM TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT ON
THE CONFISCATION OF DRUG TRAFFICKERS' ASSETS.
8. COMMENT. THOUGH SHORT THIS WAS A USEFUL AND SUBSTANTIAL. DISCUSSION. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS FRIENDLY, AND ABU HASSAN WAS NOTICEABLY MORE RELAXED THAN DURING HIS LAST VISIT TO LONDON IN JULY 1987. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF EITHER THE DEFENCE PACKAGE OR
AIR SERVICES MATTERS.
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MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
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