+IKKOUC/15
"LE:
AD
CONFIDENTIAL
30 AUG 1985
From:
PA
Acton Taken
All Heads of Department
Date:
CC
73
A J K Bailes Planning Staff
22 August 1985
Mr Derek Thomas
Micure 28/8
l'he keeps hafez
All Under-Secretaries APS/Secretary of State APS/PUS
Mr Culshaw
20/8
RESUMÉ OF DEVELOPMENTS FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
1. As in previous years, Planning Staff have been asked to provide the Secretary of State with a short resumé of major events and developments relevant to British diplomacy during his summer absence from the Office. I attach last year's resumé, in final form, for comparison: it did not cover EC affairs, Hong Kong, Falklands or Uganda on which separate submissions were made. We shall need to submit this year's resumé by close of play on Friday, 30 August.
2.
I attach a shopping list, cleared with the Political Director, showing the subjects on which we shall need contributions. I should be grateful if the lead Department shown in each case could send a short draft passage - normally not more than one paragraph for each subject - to Mr Culshaw in Planning Staff (tel 233 5045) not later than 1200 hours on Thursday 29 August. It is open to Departments to suggest amendments or additions to the list, provided they send us any extra material which this requires by the same deadline. If a given subject is difficult to summarise because of its fast-moving nature, or if a separate submission is being or will very soon be made on it to Ministers, the passage for the resumé should make reference to the fact.
3.
If any Department feels that a particular subject is not suitable for inclusion I would be grateful if they could contact Mr Culshaw urgently, since this may imply changes in the balance and structure of the whole resumé. The general bias should be towards making the latter as comprehensive as possible, within the overall constraints of space.
Aly
Alyson J K Bailes
CONFIDENTIAL