TNAG-2353-FCO40-3423-Visits-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and--1991 — Page 159

CONFIDENTIAL

023756 MDHOAN 5431

-

4.

US/VIETNAM RELATIONS

REGIONAL ISSUES (CAMBODIA, SINO-VIETNAMESE RELATIONS, VIETNAM-ASEAN RELATIONS)

WITH THE MINISTER FOR TRADE, LORD CAITHNESS MIGHT PURSUE THE POSSIBILITY OF CONCLUDING AN INVESTMENT PROMOTION AND PROTECTION AGREEMENT, THE SETTLEMENT OF VIETNAM'S ECGD DEBT CON WHICH WE ARE CONSULTING WITHIN THE FCO) AND BRITAIN'S CURRENT AND FUTURE TRADE WITH AND INVESTMENT IN VIETNAM, AS A MORE GENERAL FOLLOW-UP TO MR WAKEHAM'S VISIT.

5. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS, INCLUDING YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT TOPICS LORD CAITHNESS SHOULD RAISE WITH WHICH MINISTER AND WHAT OTHER SUBJECTS HE COULD USEFULLY COVER. WE WOULD ALSO WELCOME YOUR ASSESSMENT OF WHAT ISSUES THE VIETNAMESE ARE LIKELY TO RAISE WITH THE MINISTER.

6.

THE MINISTER WOULD BE HAPPY TO OPEN THE BRITISH TRADE LIBRARY. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WHICH HE COULD USEFULLY PRESENT ON OTHER OCCASIONS, FOR EXAMPLE TO THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT OF THE INSTITUTE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES? IS THERE SOME OPPORTUNITY IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR HOM GIFT SCHEME? YOUR EARLY COMMENTS AND IDEAS WOULD GREATLY ASSIST THE PREPARATIONS FOR THIS VISIT WHICH ARE GOING TO BE DIFFICULT DUE TO STAFF CHANGES IN SEAD AS WELL AS THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PERIOD.

HURD

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

50

MAIN

50

LIMITED

SEAD

NEWS D

JOINT DIRECTORATE

ERD

HKD

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

SIR JOHN COLES

MR BURNS

ADDTIONAL

MR WATKINS OT2, DTI

NNNN

2

PAGE CONFIDENTIAL