CO PRESS CONFERENCE : THURSDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 1985
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CHANGE OF PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE AT UKMIS GENEVA
Spokesman announced that the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, with the concurrence of the Prime Minister, had appointed Mr J A Sankey CMG to be United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the Office of the United Nations and other International Organisations at Geneva in succession to Dame Anne Warburton DCVO CMG, who would be retiring from the Diplomatic Service. Mr Sankey would hold the personal
rank of Ambassador.
LAGOS: BRISTOWS ENGINEERS
Spokesman announced that the Secretary of State would this afternoon be receiving a call by Mr Malcolm Bruce MP at the latter's request. Spokesman added that Mr Bruce was the constituency MP for Mr Kenneth Clark and Mr Angus Paterson, the two Bristow's Helicopters engineers currently on trial in Lagos. Spokesman told a questioner that yesterday had been the second day of the defence case. Defence witnesses had been called and heard and the process
was continuing today.
MINISTERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Asked whether Mr Timothy Renton would be visiting China, Spokesman replied that as no announcement of a visit to China by Mr Renton's predecessor Mr Richard Luce had been made, the question of such a visit by Mr Renton did not yet arise. Ministerial responsibilities had not yet been finalised. The Secretary of State would want to consider these with his new team. However the Minister responsible for Hong Kong would no doubt take early opportunity to go there. Spokesman pointed out that Mr Renton was currently in hospital having had a hip replacement operation and was expected to be convalescent until the end of the month. The operation had been planned for some time and the parliamentary recess was a logical
time to get it done.
ISRAEL : COATES
Questioned about Mr Robert Michael Coates who is being held in Israel, Spokesman replied that Mr Coates had been seen by the British Consul yesterday. He was in good health and had no complaints regarding prison conditions. He had not been charged and HMG looked forward
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