RENTON'S VISIT TO CHINA, THAILAND AND HONG KONG
Spokesman announced that Mr Tim Renton MP, Ministers of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, would be visiting China and Thailand from 18 - 23 January and 24 -27 January respectively with an overnight stop in Hong Kong on 23 January. Spokesman added that when Ir Renton took over from Mr Luce as FCO Minister of State, he made clear that he intended, as soon as circumstances permitted, to undertake the visit. to China and Thailand that Mr Luce had planned to make.
The visit to China would be the first by an FCO Minister since the ratification of the Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, and would underline the importance that both countries attached to their rapidly developing relations. Spokesman recalled that the Queen would be paying a state visit to China in October and that Fremier Zhao Ziyang visited Britain from 2 8 June last year.
W
In Thailand, Spokesman went on, Mr Renton would be having talks with the Thai Foreign Minister and would pay a visit to the Thai/
Cambodia border.
ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT
Spokesman drew attention to a press notice issued by 10 Downing Street
today announcing that at the invitation of Prime Minister Mrs Margaret Thatcher, Mr Shimon Peres, Prime Minister of the State of Israel would be visiting the UK on 21 -26 January.
Spokesman recalled that Sir Geoffrey Howe had issued the invitation on the Prime Minister's behalf during his visit to Israel in October 1984. The last Israeli Frime Minister to visit Britain was Mr Begin who paid an official visit in December 1977. President Herzog paid a private visit in 1984.
Spokesman further recalled that Mrs Thatcher had visited Israel
as Leader of the Opposition in 1975. She had last met r Feres in New York in October in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly.