13
Mr. Hickman (South West Pacific Department)
Visit by the Secretary of State to the Antipodes
The Secretary of State has agreed to the dates proposed by the Australians and as amended by them in consultation with the Americans for the SEATO Conference, so that I assume it will now take place at the end of June. He would like to combine this visit to Canberra with official visits to Australia and New Zealand, more particularly
he went to Australia when in opposition.
2.
the latter since
In addition, having entered into a commitment to Hong Kong to go there when we thought that the SEAIO mecting was going to be in April, he has decided that he ought, if at all possible, to fit in a visit to Hong Kong on his way to or from Canberra. (The visit in April would be called off Decause he cannot manage too many trips of this distance.)
S.
Finally, it may be necessary to add Tokyo to this tour for the amual bilateral talks with the Japanese Forei¿.. Minister. This would undoubtedly make a fairly long absence, but the talks are important and this may be the most convellent vay of fitting them in.. However, the Secretary of State would prefer not to go firm on this part of the programme because there is an alternative, that the visit to Tokyo could be combined with the visit to Thailand that he will be paying in attendance on The Queen during ller State Visit in February. Whether this second possibility is practicable or not will depend in turn on whècher Mr. Gromyko agrees to a proposal put to them that the Secretary of State should visit Moscow early in February.
(If February is not convenient for the Kussians, it would mean fewer absences from London and from that point of view it might be easier to combine a visit to Japan From the physical point of view of travel however, it might be feasible to go to Moscow, on to Japan and from
here to Bangkok to join The Queer at the start of Her visit Coz die order could be reversed: this would make a longer absence but breaking the journey into parts might not be a Jaa way of doing it). We must await therefore a reply from the Russians before making up our minds on the February programme.
(J. A. N. Graham)
2 September, 1971
c.c. Mr. Gordon, Mr. Morgan, pe. Laird, lír. Bullard,
Sir S. Tomlinson, Sir L. Monson, Mr. Wilford, P & CD.
CONFIDENTIAL