CONFIDENTIAL
SECRETARY OF STATE
bilateral exercises with friendly navies en
In the course of the deployment there will be visits by one or more of the ships in the Task Group to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Brunei, the Philippines, Kenya, the Seychelles, Mauritius, Diego Garcia, Australia, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Oman and Egypt. A possible visit to Indonesia will be considered later. There will be a number of Sea Days and Defence Industry Days to promote British defence exports. This programme has been agreed in consultation with FCO officials and there will be close consultation with posts overseas to ensure that we obtain the maximum benefit from the deployment.
so.
We intend to give a high public profile to the deployment (apart from the Indonesia possibility) starting with the issue of a press release within the next week or
A Defence Minister will bid farewell to the Task Group when it departs from Portsmouth on 12th May.
I am copying this letter to Stephen wall (No 10), Martin Stanley (DTI), and Sonia Phippard (Cabinet Office).
Yous sunčedly
Jum Looks Sun
(S WEBB)
100% Recycled Paper
CONFIDENTIAL
2
Private Secretary