CONFIDENTIAL
073-77
MDLIAN 0245
LEVEL VISITS, BUT MISS BAILES WILL BE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AND PIGOTT
ON MID-TOUR LEAVE AND WE HAVE JUST HEARD FROM HONG KONG THAT ANY OFFICER THEY SEND AS A TEMPORARY REPLACEMENT FOR HIM IS UNLIKELY TO
ARRIVE BEFORE THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH. THE COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR
AND FIRST SECRETARY (EXTERNAL) IN CHANCERY WILL ALSO BE ABSENT. IN
THESE CIRCUMSTANCES A VISIT OF SUCH IMPORTANCE FROM HONG KONG WOULD PUT THE REMAINING STAFF UNDER VERY GREAT STRAIN. I WONDER, THEREFORE, IF THE CHIEF SECRETARY COULD CONSIDER POSTPONING AT LEAST
THE PEKING LEG OF HIS TRIP UNTIL A DATE IN JULY OR THEREAFTER? I SEE NO PROBLEM WITH THE IDEA OF A VISIT TO SICHUAN.
EVANS
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
21
MINIMAL
HKD
N N N N
DISTRIBUTION
21
FED
HOMS/POD
PAGE
2
CONFIDENTIAL