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DESKBY FCO 2612OOZ
HKK 027 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
30 AUG 1983
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DESK OFFICER INDEX
REGISTRY
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Action Taken
NR
FM SINGAPORE 260937Z AUG 83
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 168 OF 26TH AUGUST 83
INFO PRIORITY BRUNET AND HONG KONG.
YOUR TELNO 141: VISIT BY MR LUCE
1.
WE HAVE SOUNDED OUT THE SINGAPORE FOREIGN MINISTRY.
PROPOSED VISIT DATES/TIMES ARE IN PRINCIPLE ACCEPTABLE.
2=
MR DHANABALAN WILL HOWEVER NOT BE IN SINGAPORE:
HE LEAVES ON 9 SEPTEMBER FOR NEW YORK VIPA VARIOUS EUROPEAN CAPITALS, INCLUDING LONDON. MR RAJARATNAM WILL BE IN CHARGE OF THE FOREIGN MINISTRY UNTIL 22 SEPTEMBER, WHEN HE TOO LEAVES FOR NEW YORK. THEREAFTER, MR E W BARKER IS LIKELY TO BE ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER. MFA BELIEVE THAT PRIME MINISTER LEE WOULD
BE INTERESTED TO MEET MR LUCE, NOT ONLY TO BE BRIEFED ON BRUNE:F BUT ALSO TO DISCUSS HONG KONG, IN WHICH THE PRIME MINISTER TAKES A VERY CLOSE INTEREST. MFA ARE THEREFORE SEEKING THE PM'S VIEWS. (AS YOU WILL ALREADY BE AWARE, LORD MACLEHOSE WILL BE HERE
AS MR LEE'S PERSONAL GUEST FROM 21-23 SEP.)
3. WE WILL REPORT FURTHER WHEN WE LEARN OF MR LEE'S WISHES. IN TERMS OF MR LUCE'S PROGRAMME FOR 24 SEPTEMBER, IT IS RELEVANT THAT MR LEE IS NORMALLY RELUCTANT TO SEE VISITORS IN THE MORNING
AND SELDOM HOSTS LUNCHES.
4.
THE SINGAPOREANS HAVE NO OBJECTION TO A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FORTHCOMING VISIT IN THE TERMS PROPOSED. WE TOLD THE SINGAPOREANS THAT, AS WITH LORD BELSTEAD'S VISIT, WE WOULD BE
SEEKING TO KEEP PUBLICITY IN LOW KEY.
5. MR DHANABALAN'S PRIVATE VISIT TO LONDON EN ROUTE TO NEW
YORK WILL LAST ONLY ONE DAY (ETA LONDON BY BA407 22 SEP 1100 HOURS). ETD FOR NEW YORK BA179 23 SEP 1830 HOURS). THIS WOULD
APPEAR TO RULE OUT ANY BRIEFING OR DISCUSSION OF DEVELOPMENTS
OVER BRUNEI WITH MR DHANABALAN IH LONDON
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