TNAG-2912-FCO40-4187-International-support-from-Asia-regarding-the-future-of-Hong-1993 — Page 72

CONFIDENTIAL

125514 MDTTAN 7926

7. MR GOODLAD ASKED WHETHER THE SULTAN WAS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT

REGIONAL SECURITY AND STABILITY. THE SULTAN SAID THAT THE

PROSPECTS FOR PEACE AND STABILITY WERE VERY GOOD AS LONG AS ASEAN

REMAINED COHESIVE. THIS DID NOT MEAN THAT SECURITY SHOULD BE

NEGLECTED. MR GOODLAD SAID THAT THE UK. HAD ENORMOUS REGIONAL

INTERESTS AS WELL AS MANY VALUED FRIENDS IN THE REGION. REGIONAL SECURITY WAS THEREFORE VERY IMPORTANT TO US. HE HAD BEEN IMPRESSED

TO SEE HOW WELL THE ASEAN COUNTRIES WERE WORKING TOGETHER AND HOW A

REGIONAL SECURITY DIALOGUE WAS BECOMING A REALITY. IT WAS GOOD

THAT CHINA AND RUSSIA HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN THE SINGAPORE ASEAN

CONFERENCE. HE THEREFORE SHARED THE SULTAN'S OPTIMISM ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO CERTAINTY BUT UNCERTAINTY. THE SULTAN AGREED THAT IT

WAS IMPORTANT NOT TO BE TOO CERTAIN.

8. PLEASE SEE MY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TELELETTER FOR THE CALL ON

PRINCE MOHAMMED.

SIGNED GEOFF DIXON

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

4

MAIN

SINGLE COPIES

SEAD/ELLIOTT SEAD//MISS ROBSON

PS/MR GOODLAD

MR MASEFIELD

NNNN

PAGE 3 CONFIDENTIAL