TNAG-2241-FCO40-3222-Asia-Pacific-Economic-Cooperation-(APEC)-1991 — Page 77

UNCLASSIFIED

062757

MDTTAN 4572

10. WITH UP TO 200 DELEGATES IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM AT ANY ONE TIME, THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONFERENCE WERE BOUND TO BE UNWIELDLY. MOST OF THE TIME WAS DEVOTED TO SET-PIECE SPEECHES WITH LITTLE TIME FOR QUESTIONS, LET ALONE FREE DISCUSSION. WE SHOULD NOT, NEVERTHELESS, UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF GATHERINGS OF THIS TYPE AS A FORUM FOR EXCHANGING INFORMATION ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS INTHE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION. MANY OF THE KEY ECONOMIC PLAYERS IN THE COUNTRIES CONCERNED WERE PRESENT AND THERE WERE AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FRUITFUL DISCUSSIONS IN THE MARGINS. THE FRENCH PICKED UP SOME BROWNIE POINTS BY SENDING TWO OFFICIALS FROM PARIS AND MAKING A STATEMENT REAFFIRMING THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION. I RECOMMEND THAT,

IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, WE SHOULD BE REPRESENTED AT HEAD OF DEPARTMENT LEVEL AT THE NEXT MEETING (TO BE HELD IN THE US).

11. PLEASE COPY TO ANY OTHER INTERESTED DEPARTMENTS IN FCO AND DTI.

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