CONFIDENTIAL
THE YEMENS
5. The timing of a visit to the Yemens can be determined by the timing of visits to more important countries. I can see no objection to combining visits to them with a visit to Iraq in May or September. In either case, it might be biting off rather a lot to include Sudan as well; subject to NENAD's views, this might better be left for combining with a visit to Egypt early in 1985.
BAHRAIN, OMAN AND SAUDI ARABIA
6.
The next UK/Oman Joint Commission is due to be held in Muscat next autumn (the last one took place on 29 November 1983 in the UK). Late November/early December would seem an excellent time, and there would be every advantage in combining this with Mr Luce's twice postponed trip to Bahrain (where, it will be remembered, he has promised the Bahrainis to spend at least two nights). Saudi Arabia would fit very well into the same trip, provided Mr Luce is prepared to spend at least two days there, in addition to the time he spends in Muscat and Bahrain.
7. I understand from HM Ambassador at Bahrain that Mr Luce has expressed interest in having a meeting of Gulf Heads of Mission to coincide with his visit there: MED would welcome this provided that costs can be met from local travel budgets, as there is no provision for such a meeting in our departmental travel budget for 1984-85.
8.
The last UK/UAE Joint Committee took place in the UK on 16 February, and the next one should therefore be held in Abu Dhabi early next year. February or March would be a good time, and I would see no difficulty in combining this with a visit to Egypt and Sudan, if this were convenient on other grounds.
9. Perhaps Mr Luce would like to have a meeting to sort all this out. From MED's point of view, the highest priority is the visit to Iraq, and if Mr Luce decides to opt for May, we need to make arrangements fairly soon.
CONFIDENTIAL
1
!
DK Hashell
DK Haskell