TNAG-2228-FCO40-3200-Political-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Singapore-1991 — Page 43

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HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CALL ON THE PRIME MINISTER, MONDAY 8 APRIL

1. HC called on Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong at 1600 hrs on Monday 8 April.

Bilateral relations

2.

HC said that, as both Britain and Singapore had new Prime Ministers, we must ensure that the close relations enjoyed by Mrs Thatcher and Lee Kuan Yew continued. The Commonwealth High Level Appraisal Group meeting (CHLAG) in London, now scheduled for 11-12 June, would provide an excellent opportunity for doing So. Goh replied that he would certainly wish to have a bilateral with John Major. He would also like to call on Mrs Thatcher: he was grateful to Mrs Thatcher for always having taken the time to see him in the past, although at that time he was only Deputy Prime Minister. Commenting on the Lee Kuan Yew - Thatcher relationship, Goh said that this old bond was very tight and very close, and he was anxious to ensure that "the glue does not come unstuck". However, Goh did not want to turn his visit to London for CHLAG into an official visit; he had gone on record that he would confine his official trips to ASEAN for the next two years. HC said that it would be helpful to have an indication of Goh's travel plans to assist us in arranging the proposed calls. Goh said that he should have a clearer idea by May and would let us know.

FPDA

3. Goh asked if the Minister of Defence was still coming to the FPDA Operation Starfish exercise. HC handed him a letter from Mr King (the contents of which had previously been passed to the Singapore Ministry of Defence) regretting that he was unable to attend and confirming Lord Arran's attendance in his place. Goh said that, as Minister of Defence himself, also, he was keen to meet Mr King; as he was not now coming to Singapore, he asked if it would be possible to meet him, too, during his visit to London in June.

The Gulf

4. HC also handed over a letter from Mr King and reiterated HMG's thanks for the contribution Singapore had made to the Allied effort in the Gulf with its despatch of a medical team. Reading the letter, Goh modestly said that there was really no need for such a long note, as Singapore "was only doing its duty". HC asked if there was any prospect of Singapore continuing to play a role in the Gulf under UN auspices. replied that Singapore might continue to play a token role, on a voluntary basis, but would not be able to deploy national servicemen.

Commonwealth High Level Appraisal Group meeting

Goh

5. HC asked whether the PM had any views on what the Group might propose. The Commonwealth, Goh confessed, had not been at the top of his agenda, though he would begin to focus on it in the coming months. He would be at CHOGM. Singapore, he said, should continue to play an important role in the Commonwealth.

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