Cable briefs

Press, 29 June 1983, Page 6

Cable briefs

A.S.E.A.N. links The European Community has pledged to expand its political and economic links with the five-member Association of South-East Asian Nations. The West German Foreign Minister Mr Hans-Dietrich Genscher, gave the pledge on behalf of the 10 Community members when he opened a dialogue with A.S.EA.N. Foreign Ministers from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Mr Genscher said that the Community would intensify economic cooperation with A.S.E.A.N. one of the world’s fastest developing areas. — Bangkok. No neutron decision President Francois Mitterrand said yesterday that France was ready to produce a neutron warhead but no decision had yet been taken. He was clarifying France’s position on the enchanced radiation weapon in a radio interview after a West German magazine report on remarks by his Defence Minister, Mr Charles Hernu. — Paris. Salvador bomb A bomb exploded yester-

day about 100 metres from the United States Embassy in San Salvador as the El Salvadorean Government defied threats against a former Defence Minister by sending 21 rebel prisoners to military courts for sentencing. No-one was hurt. Last week the rebels threatened a former Defence Minister, Francisco Adolfo Castillo, held captive by the guerrillas for nearly a year with “revolutionary justice” if the prisoners were not released. The term is usually a synonym for execution. — San Salvador. Reagan tour President Ronald Reagan will visit Indonesia, Japan and South Korea in early November to emphasise political and security ties with American allies in Asia, the White House has announced. — Washington. S.A. blast South African Government offices have been damaged as two explosions rocked an office block near Johannesburg. A police spokesman said that a warning of the blast was telephoned to a local fire brigade shortly before the explosions, which came five minutes apart. — Johannesburg.