CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
Mr. Wilford
REGISTRY No.51
Mr. Graham
22 JAN 1970
Mr. Baker
HKK22/3
The Secretary of State's visit to Japan.
2
Pl. B.U. in 3 wks Dpp 23.
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At the Ministerial Visits' Committee this afternoon there
was some discussion as to whether the Secretary of State's
proposed visit to Japan in April should be extended to a call
in Hong Kong. Mr. Graham told me he would look further into
this possibility.
2.
In the meantime I urged that the Secretary of State should
include a call in Hong Kong on his journey to the Far East on
the two grounds:
3.
(i)
(ii)
It would give important people in Hong Kong the opportunity to meet the Secretary of State and dispel the fear generally expressed there since the merger that the Secretary of State of a combined office cannot give Hong Kong the attention which, in view of such people, its almost unique position requires at Ministerial level.
A break in the Secretary of State's journey at Hong Kong, if it were at the week-end, would allow him to take a recuperative rest at Fanning. I am sure that the Governor would make his house there available.
It was also suggested that a call in Hong Kong would give the Secretary of State the opportunity to see something of Sir Hugh Norman-Walker before a decision has to be reached on the succession
to Sir David Trench. The question was raised whether Sir Hugh would be on leave before May. I have however checked with Mr. Carter and neither of us knows of Sir Hugh's immediate leave plans. If in fact he is not going on leave this Spring, the opportunity to meet him would be a side benefit of a visit of the
Secretary of State to Hong Kong.
4. Mr. Graham said he would be looking at the Secretary of State's programme to see whether it would be possible to fit a call at Hong Kong into it. I understand that consideration is being given to the Secretary of State going to Japan by the trans-Polar route. In that event a week-end at Hong Kong could be fitted in to the homeward journey.
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(L. Monson)
15 January, 1970
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