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FM KUALA LUMPUR
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 202
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ри
Intsup.
HIDOL/h
OF 070746Z APRIL 93
INFO PRIORITY SINGAPORE, ASEAN POSTS
RE
13 APF 1993-
SINGAPORE FOR MR GOODLAD'S PARTY
IN...
VISIT TO MALAYSIA OF MR GOODLAD
(41
142717 MDLIAN 5597
1. MR ALASTAIR GOODLAD, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE FCO, PAID A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO MALAYSIA FROM 1-6 APRIL. THE PROGRAMME INCLUDED ATTENDANCE AT THE DINNER WHICH THE AGONG GAVE FOR LORD MACKAY, HAD TALKS AND DINNER WITH HIS OFFICIAL HOST, DR ABDULLAH FADZIL CHE WAN, DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AS WELL AS CALLS ON CHUA JUI MENG, DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INDUSTRY, AND ON ANWAR IBRAHIM, MINISTER OF FINANCE. HE ALSO LUNCHED WITH A GROUP OF BRITISH BUSINESSMEN (WHO GAVE AN OPTIMISTIC VIEW OF MALAYSIA'S PROSPECTS), AND VISITED THE BRITISH COUNCIL'S EDUCATION EXHIBITION. THE WEEKEND WAS SPENT IN PENANG WHERE HE CALLED ON THE GOVERNOR AND LUNCHED WITH THE CHIEF MINISTER. RETURN TO KUALA LUMPUR, HE VISITED THE FORESTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MALAYSIA (WITH WHICH WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COLLABORATIVE AID PROJECTS) AND DELIVERED A LECTURE ON BRITISH POLICY TOWARDS THIS REGION AT THE INSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY AND FOREIGN RELATIONS. COURSE OF THE VISIT, MR GOODLAD WAS ABLE TO MEET SOCIALLY A NUMBER OF MALAYSIANS FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE.
2. THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IS NOT A HEAVY-WEIGHT AND UNFORTUNATELY THE MINISTER HIMSELF WAS AWAY WITH DR MAHATHIR VISITING UZBEKISTAN AND IRAN. NEVERTHELESS, THE TALKS GAVE A USEFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR A SURVEY OF THE CURRENT INTERNATIONAL SCENE. BOTH SIDES AGREED THAT UK/MALAYSIA RELATIONS ARE CURRENTLY EXCELLENT AND' MR GOODLAD POINTED OUT (AS HE DID TO HIS OTHER MINISTERIAL INTERLOCUTORS) THAT MALAYSIA CURRENTLY HAS A POSITIVE TRADE BALANCE WITH THE UK, IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF BRITISH ATP AND CAFTER INDIA) THE SECOND LARGEST RECIPIENT OF BRITISH AID OVERALL. DR ABDULLAH FADZIL SPOKE AT SOME LENGTH ABOUT BURMA, WHICH HE VISITED PRIVATELY IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR, AND AIRED CURRENT MALAYSIAN CONCERNS ABOUT CAMBODIA, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EC (QUOTE FORTRESS EUROPE UNQUOTE), GATT AND BOSNIA. MR GOODLAD DEALT CONVINCINGLY WITH THESE SUBJECTS AS WELL AS GIVING A CLEAR
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