special representatives at ministerial level who
could meet regularly. He appointed Tim Renton
as our representative.
3. The Indians have dragged their feet but
Rajiv Gandhi has finally told us that he has
appointed Narayanan, Tim's opposite number in the
MEA, as the Indian representative. Tim is due to
visit New Delhi for the fist meeting of the special
representatives in the first week of October.
We are very much of the view that the meeting
will have more impact and chance of making some
meaningful progress if Tim Renton is the next
British Minister to pay an official visit to
New Delhi.
4.
I hope you can agree to give him a clear field;
as I say you need not postpone your plans for too
long. [You might, of course, leave India out and
go to Pakistan and Bangladesh only. But the Indians
are quite capable of regarding this too as neglect
and as a cause for complaint.
And a purely
pastoral visit to the High Commission, while greatly
appreciated by the immigration staff, you might not
find sufficiently meaty.]