TNAG-2056-FCO40-2934-Hong-Kong-and-the-Organisation-for-Economic-Cooperation-and--1990 — Page 28

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Econ Ader, Jour comments. UNITED KINGDOM DELEGATION TO THE

Mr. Tanwhare JERD, Y. Mr. Millett

I Hay-Campbell Esq

ERD

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14 September 1990

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COUNCIL GROUP ON NON-MEMBER ECONOMIES, 13 SEPTEMBER: OECD/DAE

DIALOGUE

1.

We were grateful for Melanie Read-Ward's letter of 12 September commenting on the Secretariat's latest paper on the DAE dialogue (C/NM (90)22 1st Rev).

Taniguchi's introduction

2. Deputy Secretary-General Taniguchi introduced this paper with a lucid account of his visit to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong and Seoul on 15-26 July (his side-kick Barsony had visited Taipei). Their purpose had been to gauge DAE reactions to some OECD ideas for

ideas for taking the dialogue further (C/NM (90) 22). He had met with a wide variety of views, both among and within capitals. The OECD needed to do more to cultivate direct contacts in the DAES, as there was still much misunderstanding about the nature and purpose of the dialogue. Overall, there had been more interest in proposals for deepening Good. the dialogue in areas already broached, than in broadening it to new areas. An exception had been the near universal concern over the impact of Eastern European reform on the world economy; other common threads were the difficulty of finding representatives to cover meetings, and a request for help over travel costs, particularly for academics (Japan later promised some voluntary funding to help meet these costs).

to

3. Turning to more specific reactions, Taniguchi found that the Thais had not circulated his paper in advance, and so were not able to give considered responses. Both the Director-General for Economic Affairs and the DG for Political Affairs at the MFA had been supportive and undertook

provide high-level representatives for the proposed meetings. But the rank and file of the Thai public service would continue to harbour doubts about the exercise so long as it lacked official status (in contrast say to APEC).

(not want 4.

to loose

the DAE

Malaysia was perhaps the least enthusiastic of the partners. This was largely due to the view of the Prime Minister,

Houstavus)