8
L
CONFIDENTIAL
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION
TANGLIN ROAD
SINGAPORE 1024
10 April, 1991
DH Colvin Esq
SEAD
FCO
Dear David,
LORD FANSHAWE'S CALL ON LEE KUAN YEW
1.
on on
He rang ou
on 15/4fi
I feat him
ta record to
to his
Cadogan adder.
hday
Following our exchange of telegrams (resting with my telno 120), I accompanied Lord Fanshawe on his call on 8 April and now attach a note of what passed. Lord Fanshawe will be in touch on his return and has asked to have a copy.
2.
The conversation lasted an hour and saw LKY at his most relaxed and expansive. Suggestions that he might not be fully fit obviously wide of the mark. He gave every indication of having stepped back from the daily grind and of enjoying the opportunity to play to his strength of ranging widely over regional affairs. He enjoys seeing old acquaintances and friends. Yet he clearly continues to keep a close eye on things and let slip a reference at one stage to "my Prime Minister". He appeared to be pleased and surprised at the way his son has taken to politics, though this still does not suggest any wish to establish a dynasty.
3.
The exchanges on Brunei took some time. Adrian Sindall was, by coincidence, passing through Singapore that evening and staying with us and I was able to give him a pretty full account of what LKY had said about the Sultan. On Hong Kong, Lord Fanshawe commented to me subsequently that he thought that LKY had in fact changed his stance
on the 1992 Agreement, which he apparently had previously urged us to pursue and reach. Singapore's willingness to do what it can to assist on Hong Kong is very evident and was underlined subsequently when I spoke to Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong (see separate letter). A visit by David Wilson in October, as proposed separately, will be most helpful and Goh Chok Tong confirmed that both he and the Senior Minister would welcome one (if we can find the right dates).
4. LKY'S comments on the Japanese role here are almost standard in private. The Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, BG Yeo, took a very similar line during a lunch I gave for Tim Eggar over the weekend. Nevertheless, there are no signs of the Singaporeans taking this concern a logical step further and favouring non-Japanese ie specifically European commercial bids or investment: the bottom line continues to rule.
5. I am copying this letter and the enclosure to Heads of Mission in ASEAN capitals and to David Wilson in Hong Kong and John Whitehead in Tokyo.
Your
ever
Lodou
GA DUGGAN
CONFIDENTIAL
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