TNAG-0278-FCO40-314-Visit-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Aff-1970 — Page 43

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Mr. Stewarti It's not usual whch ono travels abroad to pursuo

arguments between two British political partios abroad but if Mr. Hoath

G G

said that, I can only say in comment that I think somo of the pronouncements

that have boom mado, about rostoring British military prosence in this part

of the world, havo bocn said unrealistically and without counting thor

what can be afforded or whether it is possiblo.

Mr. Ma; Will you give us an indication what proposals you will bo

making to tho Japanoso Government?

Mr. Stowart: Wall, the talks I am going to in Tokyo aro part of a

rogular sorios of talks wo have with tho Japanoso Government at yoarly int orvals.

The Japanoso Foreign Ministor was in London in May of last year.

This yoar

I am in Tokyo, and the pattorn usually is that we discuss most of the major

world problems and then thoro are always a cortain amount of bilat oral

mattors that wo havo to attend to. This is part of a rogular sorios of

consultations.

Mr. Rajagopal:

quoto,

.....

Tho Japanoso are likely to be asked particularly to

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that they must out down thoir tariff on Scotch whisky

Mr. Stowart:

Er,

wall

forgivo mo ..... I think I had bett or

wait till I got to Tokyo bofore I answor that one.

Mr. Mai Did tho question of the Ombudsman como up in your talks horo?

Mr. Stewart: I know boforo I camo horo that this was a mattor on

which somo intorost had boon expressed. Now giving puroly a porsonal opinion,

because as I say so much of the conversation I've had horo aro confidential,

and I don't want to attempt to describe what othor people may havo said to mo --

but exprossing simply my own opinion on this, I would have said that it's a very

valuablo part of any government that tho simplost and least sophisticated

/citizan should ...

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