Mr Cortazzi
21974
'B
see
paper 39.
PAPERS FOR INCOMING MINISTERS
1. In September 1974 departments were asked to prepare position papers on fifty subjects (Flag A) previously agreed by the Permanent Under-Secretary's Planning Committee.
After the date
of the election had been announced the PUS, in a second circu- lar minute, set out the timetable for passing the draft papers to the Planning Staff and for discussion by the Planning Committee. The papers were circulated in final form on 10 October the day of the election.
2. The PUS asked that the papers should be brief, summarise recent major developments, avoid historical detail and describe the present situation. They should concentrate on what British interests were involved, what important developments were sched- uled as foreseen in the near future and what were the main dangers in the short term.
3. Only three papers directly concerned Asia Hong Kong (Flag B), The Two Koreas (Flag C) and British Policy in Asia (Flag D); the latter being a compendium of issues in the Sub- Continent, China, Japan, etc. A number of other papers, falling to functional departments, dealt with issues also concerning the Asian group of departments (eg Immigration and Nationality Problems, Arms Sales, Defence Interests outside NATO and Commodity Problems).
4. Apart from Hong Kong possible subjects for position papers in 1978 might be Brunei and the New Hebrides, Arms Sales to China, Indian Nuclear Policy, Political Stability in India and Pakistan, United States Policy in the Far East, Sino-soviet Relations, Human Rights in Cambodia, Australian Air Services Agreement, EEC relations with Australia and New Zealand and the future of UKPH.
18 July 1978
cc: Mr Murray
Mr Simons
Mr White
Mr Samuel
Mr McLaren Mr Snodgrass Mr Britten
Rob Banne
R M Bone
Asian Region
Research Department G60/4
233 3088
CONFIDENTIAL