Copy of
N'airy 2 Santa Efext Do
PPs 1-2 up Gwrit of None 2 Sant EFEXT Dopě
POSSIBLE ROYAL VISITS
CONFIDENTIAL
(Previous Reference: RV(66) 2nd Meeting Minutes)
Grejon pp
PPI/25.
CONFIDENTIAL
8.
THE CHIRMAN said that the meeting had been called specifically to. consider the possibility of a visit by The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to South East Asia; the projected visit to Malta; and the inviati on extended by Mr. Kosygin to visit the Soviet Union. The general review of
future visits would take place as already planned in May 1967.
In discussion the following points were made
South East Asia
£
(a) In planning any visit to South East Asia the views of the Australian and New Zealand Governments should be borne in mind. The fact that the Duke of Edinburgh was at present visiting Australia to discuss preparations for his Study Conference to be held there from 12th May to 4th June 1968 raised the possibility that the Australian Prime Minister might suggest a more formal visit by The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh before very long. Although Tunku Abdul Rahman had suggested that The Queen might visit Malaysia when he had attended the Commonwealth Prine Ministers' Meeting in September 1966, no formal invitation had been issued. It was possible that, when President Lübke of Germany visited Malaysia in March, he night extend to the Agong an invitation to visit Germany. On balance however, it was considered undesirable, before the start of President Lübke's visit, either to attempt to solicit an invitation from the Agong for The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to visit Malaysia or to invite the Agong to visit
the United Kingdom.
It was understood that the programme of The Queen and of the
Duke of Edinburgh would permit their visiting South East Asia for a
period of four weeks in March 1968, in which case they might visit
Thailand and possibly Cambodia. It would be desirable to allow
between eight and six months for planning such a visit.
I
To suggest that a State Visit to Malaysia and possibly Thailand should
immediately precede the Duke of Edinburgh's Study Conference would be
unacceptable both because of the strain that it would place on Royal
engagements and because of the trying climate of Bangkok in May. An
important factor which might affect a possible visit to South East Asia was
the likely effect of the Defence Review in relation to reductions in our
forces and in their supporting locally employed civilian staff in that
part of the world. Firm decisions on our force levels in South East Asia
were unlikely to be reached before July 1967.
To postpone a visit to South East Asia until the latter half of 1968
would be difficult since the Duke of Edinburgh was committed to visiting
the Olympic Games in Mexico in October 1968, after which he proposed to
visit the Galapagos Islands.
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.