CONFIDENTIAL
Heads of:
SEAD
cc
SWPD
SAD FED
Mr Male HKIOD -
PS to PUS
Heads of Mission Section Planners
BRIEFING OF NEW HEADS OF MISSION
1.
It used to be the practice that Ambassadors on appointment to a new post were sent a despatch setting out basic British foreign policy objectives in the country to which they are accredited. This practice seems to have fallen by the wayside perhaps because the points are supposed to be covered in the country assessment sheets. I do not think that in fact these do generally give adequate guidance and I should like departments to consider when a new appointment is made what further guidance should be given to the new head of mission. Some of this can be done in oral briefing but there is nothing like a formal despatch or planning paper for clarifying the mind and focussing on what really matters. Inevitably some objectives will be very obvious such as promoting exports and protecting investments, but even here there may be advantage in drawing attention to particular aspects of interest or concern or even to specific methods of achieving our aims.
2. I should be grateful if departments would bear the above in mind when new appointments are made and submit accordingly.
9 February 1976
Cate
HAH Cortazzi
You
13/11
правит
Carmill y preciate, tund, haw ungabout this might be for future Sovernors of by Kay!
What
GAL 12/2
CONFIDENTIAL
хамр
11 14/2