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14. I ASKED WHETHER THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WERE YET MOVING TOWARDS ONE OF THE OPTIONS IN THE TAG REPORT. EVANS SAID YES: THE OPTION COSTING AROUND 90 MILLION DOLLARS. THERE HAD BEEN A PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION WITH THAT RESULT THOUGH AS YET THERE HAD BEEN NO FORMAL DECISION AND THERE REMAINED A NEED TO CONSULT INTERESTED
PARTIES.
VISIT TO UK
15.
EVANS SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ACCOMPANYING THE PRIME MINISTER TO LONDON IN JANUARY CHE WILL GO TO ISRAEL, AND TO LUXEMBOURG TO CONTACT THE EC PRESIDENCY INSTEAD). BUT HE MUCH HOPED TO PAY A PROPER VISIT LATER IN THE YEAR AND HAVE THE CHANCE OF FULL AND SUBSTANTIVE TALKS WITH YOU.
COMMENT
16.
THIS WAS A VERY WORTHWHILE FIRST CONTACT WITH THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT BY THE MINISTER OF STATE. THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE EXTENDED TALKS WITH EVANS WAS PARTICULARLY WORTHWHILE: AND THE DISCUSSION OF GATT WITH BLEWETT WAS TIMELY.
17.
ON CAMBODIA THE MINISTER OF STATE OBTAINED THE IMPRESSION THAT EVANS WAS A LITTLE LESS BULLISH THAN HITHERTO.
18.
·
ON MARALINGA, EVANS PROBABLY SAID MORE THAN HE SHOULD HAVE DONE. HIS REMARKS ON THE SELECTED OPTION SQUARE WITH THE NEWSPAPER REPORT IN MY TELNO 888 BUT THERE HAS CLEARLY BEEN NO FORMAL CABINET DECISION YET. WE ARE REPORTING SEPARATELY ON NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE TIMETABLE FOR TABLING THE TAG REPORT IN THE AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT.
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