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025156 MDLIAN 3464
SANCTIONS ROUTE FOR SOME TIME YET. HE AGREED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO MAKE CLEAR TO IRAQ THAT THE MILITARY OPTION EXISTED.
CAMBODIA
9.
LORD CAITHNESS OBSERVED THAT WE HAD PROPOSED TO FRANCE THAT AUSTRALIA BE INVITED TO THE JAKARTA MEETING ON 9 NOVEMBER. EVANS SAID WRYLY THAT THE FRENCH HAD SEEMED DETERMINED TO PREVENT ATTENDANCE BY THOSE WHO HAD A REAL CONTIRBUTION TO MAKE.
10.
THE AIM AT JAKARTA SHOULD BE TO PRODUCE A SUBSTANTIAL DOCUMENT WHICH WOULD BED DOWN THE ELEMENTS OF THE SOLUTION ALREADY AGREED. AUSTRALIA HAD GIVEN A DRAFT TO THE UK AND OTHERS.
11. A SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OFFICIAL (COSTELLO) HAD RECENTLY BEEN IN PHNOM PENH AND HANOI AND WAS TODAY IN PEKING. HUN SEN'S CURRENT POSITION ON THE SUPREME NATIONAL COUNCIL WAS THAT HE SHOULD BE VICE-CHAIRMAN AMONG 7 MEMBERS FROM HIS GROUP WHILE THE RESISTANCE GROUPS COULD HAVE 7 WITH SIHANOUK AS CHAIRMAN. AUSTRALIA WOULD SUPPORT THIS BUT IT REMAINED TO BE SEEN WHETHER SIHANOUK AND OTHERS WOULD.
ANTARCTICA
12.
THE MINISTER OF STATE SAID THAT OUR AIM WAS TO MAINTAIN THE TRADITION OF CONSENSUS. WE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE FOUND IN A TOTAL BAN ON MINERALS EXPLORATION. WE WOULD EXPLORE THE MIDDLE GROUND. BUT WE WANTED TO WORK WITHIN THE EXISTING TREATY AND WE WANTED A SOLUTION THAT WAS PRACTICABLE. EVANS SAID THAT AUSTRALIA REMAINED COMMITTED TO THE TREATY. BUT IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO WORLD OPINION ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES HAD MOVED.
MARALINGA
13. EVANS SAID THAT HE SHOULD MENTION MARALINGA. HE THOUGHT THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINSTER WOULD RAISE THE MATTER WHEN HE VISITED LONDON IN JANUARY. HE (EVANS) HOPED THE BRITISH ATTITUDE WOULD BE POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE. LORD CAITHNESS REMINDED EVANS THAT WE HAD NOT YET FORMALLY RECEIVED THAT FINAL TEXT OF THE TAG REPORT AND REITERATED OUR LEGAL POSITION (IN THE VALIDITY OF WHICH EVANS EXPRESSED DOUBT).
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