Hr Mayall, P & CD
CONFIDENTIAL
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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO.51 - 2 MAY 1972
DK1226/1
pa
PMKL
7/1-
PROPOSED VISITS BY PRINCESS ALEXANDRA TO AFGHANISTAN AND NEPAL
1. We discussed on the telephone your minute of 19 April, in which you stated that Frincess Alexandre would very much like to take the opportunity of visiting Afghanistan and Nepal prior to her official visit to Rong Kong on 21 October. You told me that it was likely that Princess Alexandra would be travelling on a Comet of RAF Transport Command.
2. I think that it would be right to recommend that Princess Alexandra should visit either Afghanistan or Nepal but not both. If she is to spend up to four days in both countries, including travelling time, and taking into account the difficulty of getting from Kabul to Kathmandu, a visit to both countries would constitute a fairly extended tour. It would be possible to find some justification for a visit to Nepal, but a visit there would of necessity be of a very similar character to a visit to Afghanistan and there could be some public criticism that what HRH was undertaking was in effect an extended sightseeing and camping trip at public expense. There is the further point that the Nepalese Royal Family will still be in mourning in October and that we shall be recommending that a member of the Royal Family should attend the new King' coronation which will take place on a date yet to be decided early next year. King Birendra is also at present faced with a series of difficult internal political problems which are likely to call for his close attention over the next few months. I would therefore recommend that Princess Alexandra go to Afghanistan only.
3. As regards fghanistan, it is most unlikely that HK The Queen will be able to return the King of Afghanistan's recent visit to this country for many years. The Afghans know that Princess Alexandra is anxious to visit their country. We are keen, for political reasons, to be seen to be devoting more attention to Afghanistan than in the recent past. Fecretary of State will be paying a very brief visit to Kabul on his way back from the Beato Conference, and Mr Richard Wood has tentative plans to go late in the year. But neither Finisterial visit would be in October and I do not think that the addition of a visit by Princess Alexandra would be excessive.
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4. I talked this over on 26 April with HM Ambassador Kabul, who is now on leave in this country. Kr Carter welcomed the idea of a visit; Baid that it would
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