PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FM F C O 231735Z
CONFIDENTIAL
COLLAR
DESKBY 250330Z
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No.51
27 JUN 1972
TAKK 3/5V8/12
LAST
C
Rif.
(MW)
TO PRIORITY COLOMBO TELEGRAM NUMBER 287 OF 24 JUNE AND TO SINGAPORE, KUALA LUMPUR, DACCA, DELHI, BOMBAY, SEYCHELLES,
BOMBAY, SEYCHELLES, NAIROBI, PORT LOUIS, INFO UKDEL EEC BRUSSELS, ISLAMABAD, TOKYO, BANGKOK, HONG KONG,
ASIAN-AFRICAN TOUR BY THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER.
1. MR RIPPON HAS MADE A NUMBER OF VISITS OUTSIDE EUROPE IN THE PAST
TWO YEARS TO CONSULT, IN THE MAIN, COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENTS ABOUT OUR ENTRY INTO THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, AND TO INFORM A WIDER PUBLIC
ABOUT HMG'S EUROPEAN POLICY. HE HAS SO FAR VISITED AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND CANADA, AND THE CARIBBEAN, KONG KONG AND THE
UNITED STATES.
2.
DURING THE SUMMER RECESS, MR RIPPON IS PROPOSING TO VISIT A
NUMBER OF OTHER COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES. HE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS
THE EFFECT OF OUR ENTRY TO THE COMMUNITY WITH THOSE CONCERNED IN EACH
COUNTRY: AND TO UNDERTAKE A LIMITED PROGRAMME OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
ENGAGEMENTS. HE WOULD ALSO BE PREPARED TO APPEAR ON TELEVISION AND
MEET THE PRESS.
3.
MIFT SETS OUT THE PROPOSED PROGRAMME FOR MR RIPPON'S MINISTERIAL
VISITS. HE WOULD ARRIVE IN SINGAPORE, VIA BANGKOK AND HONG KONG
WHERE HE WOULD BE STAYING PRIVATELY. THE VISITS TO BOMBAY AND THE
SEYCHELLES WOULD BE STOP-OVER CALLS, WHEN HE WOULD NOT EXPECT TO
DO BUSINESS. HE WOULD BE ACCOMPANIED THROUGHOUT BY HIS PRIVATE
SECRETARY WHO WOULD WRITE LATER ABOUT THE DETAILS OF PROGRAMMES
IN EACH COUNTRY.
1
DELHI ONLY. THE INDIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER IN LONDON INVITED
MR RIPPON TO VISIT INDIA AT THEIR MEETING HERE ON 1 JUNE. THE
HIGH COMMISSIONER INDICATED THAT SEPTEMBER WOULD BE CONVENIENT
BUT NO FURTHER DETAILS WERE DISCUSSED.
CONFIDENTIAL
15.