TNAG-0278-FCO40-314-Visit-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Aff-1970 — Page 212

CONFIDENTIAL

CYPHER/CAT A

MMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

LEGRAM NUMBER 114

TO TOKYO

13 FEBRUARY 1970.

(PS)

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CONFIDENTIAL.

ADDRESSED TO TOKYO TELEGRAM NUMBER 114 OF 13 FEBRUARY

REPTD FOR INFMN TO HONG KONG PEKING.

FOLLOWING FROM PRIVATE SECRETARY.

YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 111.

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT.

IN VIEW OF THE DIFFICULTIES OVER AIRCRAFT TIMINGS WE HAVE NOW DECIDED

THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S WHOLE VISIT SHOULD BE MOVED FORWARD BY

ONE DAY. THIS WILL HAVE THE ADDED ADVANTAGE THAT HE WILL

TRAVEL BY BOAC THROUGHOUT.

2. IT WILL MEAN THAT WE WILL LEAVE LONDON AT LUNCHTIME ON

THURSDAY 16 APRIL ARRIVING HONG KONG ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WE

SHALL LEAVE HONG KONG ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON 19 APRIL BY THE FLIGHT

LEAVING AT 16.45 HOURS ARRIVING TOKYO 29.10 HOURS. THIS WILL

GIVE US FOUR CLEAR DAYS IN JAPAN BEFORE WE LEAVE ON THE BOAC

POLAR FLIGHT ON THURSDAY NIGHT 23 ARPIL.

3. PROVIDED THAT YOU AND THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG SEE NO

OBJECTION WE SHOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE DATES OF THE VISIT TO JAP AN

IN AN ANNOUNCEMENT WHICH WE ARE PROPOSING THAT THE JAPANESE AND

OURSELVES SHOULD MAKE NEXT TUESDAY, 17 FEBRUARY. WE WOULD PROPOSE TO SAY AT THE SAME TIME ORALLY IN LONDON THAT THE

SECRETARY OF STATE WILL BE STOPPING IN HONG KONG ON THE WAY

TO TOKYO WITHOUT MENTIONING TIMINGS.

4. SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION BY THE GOVERNOR HONG KONG, THAT THE

ARRANGEMENTS IN FCO TELEGRAM NUMBER 91 TO HONG KONG ARE ACCEPTABLE

PLEASE NOW SPEAK TO THE JAPANESE BOTH ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND

THE PROGRAMME. AS REGARDS THE LATTER BARRINGTON'S LETTER TO HITCH

SHOULD NOW BE AMENDED SO THAT MOST IF NOT ALL THE TOKYO PART OF THE VISIT (EXCEPT PERHAPS THE PRESS CONFERENCE AND T.V. INTERVIEW)

SHOULD PRECEDE OSAKA.

STEWART

FILES

F.E.D.

HONG KONG DEPT.

NEWS DEPT.

PRIVATE SECRETARY

P.S. TO P.U.S.

PROT. & CONF. DEPT.

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CONFIDENTIAL