But it is important that we should pay them the
coutesy of giving advance warning of the visit to
Peking combined with some words of reassurance about
the ultimate reinstatement of the Prime Minister's
tour of South East Asia. The Malaysians still attach
a high priority to her visit. was grateful therefore
I
for the form of words you gave Peter Mirketts on 14
November which is reflected in the draft.
B
C
4. There is also a danger that if news of the Prime
Minister's possible visit to Sri Lanka at Easter,
about which I wrote to you on 23 November (copy
enclosed) should leak in Colombo, as it did when the
visit was previously called off, before we had put
dates to South East Asia capitals for the tour there
Dr Mahathir, in particular, may be seriously upset.
The draft telegram accordingly includes a defensive
line against this contingency. Dr Mahathir expects
to be in Europe for most of April and the Indonesians
might well not find a visit in March convenient.
decision to visit Sri Lanka at Easter need not, as
such, cause offence providing we have by,then started
discussing provisional dates for the Prime Minister's
visit to South East Asia.
A
?
C