RESTRICTED
C.0. TELEGRAM NO. 138 TO CANBERRA
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HAS VISITED ANY OF THESE COUNTRIES.
(B) SUCH VISITS ARE A NORMAL AND NECESSARY PART OF THE WORK OF ANY COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY, MR. BOWDEN WOULD HAVE WISHED TO START ON THEM BEFORE, BUT HIS PREOCCUPATIONS WITH RHODESIA HAVE PREVENTED THIS, APART FROM SHORT VISITS TO MALTA IN JANUARY AND GHANA IN EARLY FEBRUARY.
(C) THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY WILL OF COURSE WISH TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS CURRENT ISSUES WITH MINISTERS AND GOVERNORS. IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND THESE WILL NATURALLY INCLUDE OUR PRESENT APPROACH TO THE EEC, BUT HIS VISIT WILL NOT BE FOR THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF CONSULTING MINISTERS PRIOR TO A DECISION HERE WHETHER OR NOT TO EMBARK ON NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE EEC. SUCH DEFINITIVE CONSULTATIONS WOULD IN ANY CASE AT THIS STAGE BE IMPOSSIBLE WHILE VISITS OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN SECRETARY TO THE CAPITALS OF THE SIX ARE STILL PROCEEDING.
(D) IF ASKED WHETHER MR. BOWDEN'S VISITS WILL BE OF THE SAME CHARACTER AS THOSE UNDERTAKEN BY MR. SANDYS IN 1961, THE ANSWER WILL BE
NO.
CROSEC
SENT 2002Z 23 JANUARY
CO/FO/WH. DISTRIBUTION
F.E. & P.D.
RESTRICTED
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