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047716
MDHIAN 0563
(N)
SOUTH PACIFIC: AUSTRALIANS UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE THEY ATTACH TO BRITAIN REMAINING FULLY COMMITTED IN THE REGION. WE EXPLAINED RESOURCE PRESSURES AND HINTED THAT GRADUAL
SCALING-DOWN WAS ON THE CARDS.
(0) PAPUA NEW GUINEA: A GLOOMY PICTURE FROM THE AUSTRALIANS. BOTH
SIDES CONCERNED ABOUT GROWING DISINCENTIVES TO NEW FOREIGN
(P)
(Q)
(R)
(S)
(T)
(U)
(V)
INVESTMENT.
CENTRAL EUROPE: AGREEMENT THAT ALTHOUGH UNEVEN, THE PICTURE WAS MORE OPTIMISTIC.
RUSSIA: AGREEMENT THAT YELTSIN WAS THE CENTRAL FIGURE: CONCERN ABOUT INVESTING SO HEAVILY IN ONE PERSON, BUT NO ALTERNATIVE AVAILABLE.
YUGOSLAVIA: AUSTRALIANS TOOK ON BOARD THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PROBLEM. OUR BRIEFING MUCH APPRECIATED.
SOUTH AFRICA: AUSTRALIANS FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS CLOSELY. WELCOMED OUR ACCOUNT OF THE BUTHELEZI AND MANDELA VISITS (YOUR TELNOS 40 AND 44 TO CAPETOWN). AUSTRALIANS EXAMINING WAYS OF LIFTING ECONOMIC SANCTIONS (NO DETAILS IN THE TALKS, ALTHOUGH SENATOR EVANS MADE A STATEMENT IN PARLIAMENT ON THE SAME DAY
SUGGESTING THAT SANCTIONS MIGHT BE LIFTED WITHIN WEEKS: WE ARE
REPORTING SEPARATELY).
IRAQ: AGREEMENT ON THE IMPORTANCE, BUT INCREASING DIFFICULTY, OF MAINTAINING STRONG INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY. AUSTRALIANS
.CONCERNED THAT MIF NOT SUFFICIENTLY MULTINATIONAL.
ARAB-ISRAEL: AUSTRALIAN INTEREST IN THE PEACE PROCESS WORKING GROUPS, ESPECIALLY THE ECONOMIC GROUP: WE UNDERTOOK TO PROVIDE
A READ-OUT.
UN REFORM: AN IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE OVER REFORM OF UNSC PERMANENT MEMBERSHIP. AUSTRALIANS MERELY NOTED OUR EMPHASIS ON NOT UNDERMINING SECURITY COUNCIL EFFECTIVENESS, BUT AGREED THAT THE ISSUE SHOULD BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN FOREIGN MINISTERS. NO AUSTRALIAN VIEW ON HOW JAPANESE PERMANENT MEMBERSHIP (WHICH THEY HAVE PUBLICLY ENDORSED) MIGHT BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT UNRAVELLING EXISTING STRUCTURES. (COMMENT: THE AUSTRALIANS STILL SEEM TO THINK THAT OUR ONLY REAL CONCERN IS TO KEEP OUR PERMANENT MEMBER
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