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On S. Africa our view is that we should get moving as soon as possible and we are working on draft instructions to Pretoria.
By way of afterthought to my letter to Wilford about India and Pakistan, the same question of timing seems to me to arise on whether we want to approach the Pakistanis at the same time as we approach the Indians or leave an approach to the Pakistanis till a little later.
There is finally the question whether anything needs to be said to Commonwealth countries to whom we have no commitments. In general it seems to me that there is no need to tell them that Ministers have reaffirmed the Crosland decision, since nothing has been said publicly to suggest that this decision does not s till stand. It does, however, seem to me that in the light of the discussion or this question which took place when Mr. Ripoon was in Hong Kong, you may want at an appropriate stage to inform Hong Kong that the decision stands and why.
I am copying to Carey here and Belger (ODM).
Yours sincerely,
W Sanders)