البة
SECRETARY OF STATE
MO 25/2/2
CC
*3/M/Royle HILD,
Stiefash
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
MAIN BUILDING, WITTEHALL, LONDON, Q. Wil
TELEPHONE
01-930 7022
30th June, 1970'.
21
@3%
1/7.
Бет быть,
I am writing to you, following our telephone conversation earlier today, to let you know of the Defence Secretary's proposal for an early visit to the Far East and Australasia.
Lord Carrington would plan to leave the U.K, on, or about, Friday, 24th July and to be back in London on the morning of Thursday, 6th August at the latest. Initial ly we would reckon that this visit should take in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Australia and New Zealand though not necessarily of course in that order and if time allowed possibly also Hong Kong.
-
I would be grateful if your officials could discuss with ours the implications of such a programme with particular thought given to the optimum order of cal ls.
From a practical point of view a call in the Malaysia/Singapore area on both the outward and inward legs would make the programme most workable. It is recognised however that to leave, say, the Malaysians until the last call would not be terribly well received in Kuala Lumpur.
G
After these discussions at official level I would plan, then, to send round the usual outline plot for clearance by the Prime Minister, Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary etc. preferably during the course of tomorrow which would then leave the way clear for your officials to signal the posts concerned to find out the local reaction to these proposals. I hope by the time that this stage is reached, I shall be able to let you have more details, including the names of the party and some rough timings.
#SOS) NO.61
incerely & Na
I. McCluney, Esq.
HKK 22/3
(K.R. MAY)