TNAG-2915-FCO40-4190-International-support-from-European-countries-regarding-the--1993 — Page 80

Mrs Swift

FED

Reference

Miss Bliss

propeos please

Van 26/!...

his Bomas Jones

fed.

Spoke to Ady Fid. 12 he sent am 9/2

Have you

wer

مل

thr Sterart yet?

25/1

TALKS WITH THE RUSSIANS ON ASIA PACIFIC ISSUES

1.

Your minute of 20 January to Mr Masefield invited comments from copy addressees. SEAD topics which might feature on an agenda for discussion with the Russians include the following:

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

(v)

Cambodia as a fellow member of the P5, we are in regular close touch with the Russians anyway, here, in Phnom Penh, and elsewhere. But it might seem odd if this important current subject were not included on the list for a formal session of talks;

Vietnam - although no longer heavily involved there, the Russians still have a residual presence and interests. There must be a considerable depth of knowledge and expertise in Moscow on Vietnam: it would be interesting to tap into it for their assessment of Vietnam's political and economic prospects. Their perceptions of Vietnam are also relevant to discussion of regional security issues;

Russia and ASEAN the Russians have expressed an interest in being associated in some way with ASEAN discussions particularly in their Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC), which brings together the ASEAN Foreign Ministers with their counterparts from the US, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the EC troika. As the PMC is beginning to serve increasingly as a mechanism for discussion of regional political and security issues, it would be worth comparing notes with the Russians;

Regional Security this embraces a number of issues, some of which like Japan's role and the question of arms sales you have itemised separately. There are other aspects, eg China's role in South East Asia, particularly in Cambodia and Burma, and also (see below) the South China Sea;

Territorial Disputes this too covers a multitude of questions. One of the most sensitive is the South China Sea. Although Russia is not a protagonist (the main dispute is between China and Vietnam), Russia may be interested, as much for economic reasons, ie oil, as for political ones;

CODE 18-77

JLJ058