CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY SINGAPORE
TELNO 4
OF 03030OZ JUNE 91
AND TO PRIORITY WELLINGTON
INFO PRIORITY FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
th-3.027/1
185
106236
MDLIAN 5570
SINGAPORE TELEGRAM NO 5 AND MY TELEGRAM NO 13 TO WELLINGTON: PROPOSED VISIT TO SINGAPORE AND NEW ZEALAND.
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1 I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO REINSTATE MY CANCELLED VISIT TO NEW
ZEALAND AND TO MAKE A VISIT TO SINGAPORE BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR. THE ONLY WEEK THAT LOOKS POSSIBLE FOR ME IN TERMS OF EXISTING DIARY COMMITMENTS IS THE WEEK BEGINNING 18 NOVEMBER.
2. (FOR SINGAPORE). THE MOST CONVENIENT TIMING FOR ME WOULD BE TO
ARRIVE IN SINGAPORE ON MONDAY 18 NOVEMBER AT 1720 AND LEAVE FOR
CHRISTCHURCH AT 2015 ON TUESDAY 19 NOVEMBER. THIS WOULD ALLOW ME TIME FOR A DINNER ON MONDAY NIGHT AND THEN A FULL DAY'S PROGRAMME UNTIL ABOUT 1900 ON THE TUESDAY. THIS SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR CALLS ON MINISTERS IN THE SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT, PERHAPS A LUNCHTIME SPEECH AND ONE OR TWO VISITS TO PLACES OF INTEREST.
3. GRATEFUL TO KNOW IF YOU FEEL THAT THIS WOULD BE LONG ENOUGH. SO FAR AS I CAN SEE, THE ONLY FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVES WOULD BE TO ARRIVE IN SINGAPORE ON THE SUNDAY NIGHT OR TO LEAVE HONG KONG VERY EARLY ON MONDAY MORNING, ARRIVING IN SINGAPORE JUST BEFORE LUNCH. NEITHER OF THESE PARTICULARLY APPEALS, BUT I WOULD BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER THEM IF YOU ADVISE STRONGLY THAT I SHOULD
SPEND LONGER IN SINGAPORE.
4. (FOR WELLINGTON). I WOULD PROPOSE TO ARRIVE IN WELLINGTON VIA CHRISTCHURCH AT 1130 ON WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER. THIS WOULD ALLOW ME TO FOLLOW VERY MUCH THE SAME SORT OF PROGRAMME AS ON THE TRIP THAT I HAD TO CANCEL. IN OTHER WORDS, A FAIRLY QUIET FIRST AFTERNOON AND EVENING, FOLLOWED BY A FULL DAY IN WELLINGTON ON THE THURSDAY, A FLIGHT BACK TO AUCKLAND ON FRIDAY MORNING FOLLOWED BY A PROGRAMME THERE, AND A DEPARTURE AT 1425 ON SATURDAY. GRATEFUL TO KNOW IF YOU SEE ANY DIFFICULTY WITH THIS.
5. (FOR BOTH). GRATEFUL TO KNOW IF THE TIMINGS GIVEN ABOVE WOULD BE CONVENIENT FOR THE HOST GOVERNMENTS. WE WILL THEN PUT IN HAND
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CONFIDENTIAL