CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE KATHMANDU
TELNO 38
OF 18183OZ FEBRUARY 88
AND TO IMMEDIATE SINGAPORE
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE NEW DELHI
CONFIDENTIAL
HRBOOT
105366 MDHOAN 9068
FROM PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
37
FCO TELNO 159 TO NEW DELHI (NOT TO ALL): LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT
1. YOUR CONCERN ABOUT THE RELIABILITY OF RNAC HAS BEEN BORNE OUT, ALBEIT WITH A DIFFERENT TWIST. WE HAVE JUST LEARNED THAT RNAC HAVE RESCHEDULED FLIGHT RA410 AND THAT IT WILL NOW LEAVE HONG KONG AT U9UU RATHER THAN 12UU ON 27 FEBRUARY. AS I SAID IN TUR, LORD GLENARTHUR CANNOT ABANDON HIS COMMITMENTS IN HONG KONG THAT MORNING. WE THEREFORE SEE NO (NO) ALTERNATIVE BUT TO LEAVE HONG KONG AT 173U ON SQ57 ETA SINGAPORE 21UU, TRAVELLING ON TO KATHMANDU NEXT MORNING (28 FEB) ON SQ414 ETD 0800 ETA KATHMANDU 1155.
2 =
I AM AFRAID THAT THIS WILL MEAN A FAIRLY MAJOR RESTRUCTURING
OF THE PROGRAMME IN NEPAL COUR DEPARTURE PLANS REMAIN UNCHANGED). LORD GLENARTHUR HOPES TO MAINTAIN AS MANY OF THE ELEMENTS OUTSIDE KATHMANDU AS POSSIBLE. THE TIMING OF A CALL ON THE KING IS A COMPLICATING FACTOR. THERE MAY BE MERIT IN YOUR INVESTIGATING
THIS BEFORE OUR ARRIVAL NOW THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED LORD GLENARTHUR'S PERSONAL LETTER TO THE KING.
3. I REALISE THAT IT MAY NOT BE FEASIBLE TO CONSTRUCT A REVISED PROGRAMME BEFORE OUR DEPARTURE FROM THE OFFICE FOR KOREA AT 160OZ ON 23 FEBRUARY. GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD TELEGRAPH REVISED VERSION TO ME IN SEOUL OR HONG KONG
FOR HONG KONG
4.
BAD NEWS FOR KATHMANDU IS, I HOPE, GOOD NEWS FOR HONG KONG AND IT SHOULD NOW BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE A RATHER MORE SATISFACTORY PROGRAMME. PARTICULARLY GIVEN YOUR HOLIDAY SEASON, WE WOULD BE CONTENT TO LEAVE ANY ADDITIONS/CHANGES TO YOU, AND RECEIVE AN OUTLINE REVISED PROGRAMME BEFORE WE LEAVE KOREA. LORD GLENARTHUR WOULD PREFER NOT (NOT) TO HAVE ANY ENGAGEMENTS AFTER LUNCH ON 27 FEBRUARY AND BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE FOR THE AIRPORT. WE
CONTINUE TO REGARD THIS AS A TRANSIT VISIT IN ADVANCE OF A SUBSTANTIVE VISIT IN THE SUMMER.
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CONFIDENTIAL