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South Asia: India/Afghanistan/

SAD

Pakistan

Korea

FED

We should also be grateful for background briefs from Research Department on:

-

China Internal (political and economic)

UK-China relations

Chinese foreign policy.

3. It has been agreed with No 10 that, given the brevity and specific nature of the visit, the usual Cabinet Office procedure for Prime Minister briefing need not apply. The final format is however still under discussion. We should therefore be grateful for briefing in draft, which we will tailor accordingly. Please bear in mind that even more than usual, briefs should be kept as short as possible: over half of the limited time will be spent on interpreting.

4.

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It would be helpful if briefs could if possible reach Mr Ashton this week and in any case not later than noon on 10 December. I apologise for this tight deadline. We have been constrained by the Prime Minister's heavy commitments in the week before her visit, and by the delay in going firm with the Chinese on the programme in Peking.

4 December 1984

Cc:

Mr Hum, HKD

Mr Cruickshank, OT4, DTI

Marachicht

Mark Elliott

Far Eastern Department

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