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FM KUALA LUMPUR
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TELNO 503
OF 26080OZ SEPTEMBER 90
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INFO ROUTINE UKMIS NEW YORK, WASHINGTON
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HKB 020 127
MDLIAN 3731
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INFO ROUTINE OTHER ASEAN POSTS, UKMIS GENEVA, UKDEL IMF/IBRD
(2)
YOUR TELNO 151 TO BERNE: GULF CRISIS: BURDEN SHARING
1. WHILE SPEAKING TO THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR WEST ASIA AT THE MFA TODAY ON OTHER MATTERS, FIRST SECRETARY (POLITICAL) ASKED WHETHER MALAYSIA WOULD CONSIDER PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES MOST
AFFECTED BY THE GULF CRISIS. ZAINAL SAID THAT MALAYSIA HAD ALREADY PROVIDED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF AID TO JORDAN FOR THE REFUGEES THERE, IN THE FORM OF ONE PLANE LOAD OF PROVISIONS, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. THIS WAS A FORM OF THANKS FOR THE ASSISTANCE THE JORDANIANS HAD PROVIDED
IN GETTING MALAYSIANS FROM KUWAIT BACK TO KL. THE MALAYSIANS DID NOT
PLAN TO DO ANYTHING MORE.
COMMENT
2. IF WE WANT THE MALAYSIANS TO HELP IN ANY BURDEN SHARING EXERCISE, THE BEST PLACE TO DO SO WOULD PROBABLY BE IN A UN/IMF/IBRD CONTEXT. THE MALAYSIAN POSITION IS THAT THE UN IS CENTRAL TO THE HANDLING OF
TTHE GULF CRISIS AND THEY WILL DOUBTLESS MAINTAIN THE SAME ATTITUDE OVER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO RESPOND TO BILATERAL PRESSURE.
3. IT IS WORTH ADDING THAT ALTHOUGH MALAYSIA AS A SMALL NON-OPEC OIL PRODUCER WILL BENEFIT IN THE SHORT TERM FROM HIGHER OIL PRICES, THIS IS NOT THE WAY THE MATTER IS SEEN HERE. PETROL PRICES HAVE ALREADY BEEN RAISED AND THIS HAS HIT THE AVERAGE MALAYSIAN, WHOSE WAGES ARE NOT HIGH, QUITE HARD. HIGHER PETROL PRICES WILL ALSO AFFECT MALAYSIA'S INDUSTRIALISATION POLICIES AND THE COST OF IMPORT.
SPRECKLEY
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