TNAG-0330-FCO40-366-Visit-of-Parliamentary-Under-Secretary-of-State--Anthony-Roy-1972 — Page 216

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2. ARRIVAL AT PEKING IN EARLY AFTERNOON OF 32 MAY IS NECESSARY SO THAT THE AIRCRAFT CAN RETURN TO HONG KONG BY MIGHTFALL. AS YOU SEE, MOD ARE ASSUMING THAT IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO STOP IN CANTON ON EACH OCCASION. YOU MAY TELL THE CHINESE THAT THE CREW ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE OFFER OF HOSPITALITY (PARA 2 OF YOUR TELNO 407) BUT THAT

IT IS OPERATIONALLY NECESSARY FOR THE AIRCRAFT TO RETURN TO HONG KONG TO RESUME ITS NORMAL SCHEDULE. IF MR ROYLE IS TO VISIT SHANGHAI THE HOMEWARD FLIGHT SCHEDULE CAN BE AMENDED ACCORDINGLY TO

ARRANGE PICKUP AT SHANGHAI.

3. THE SCHEDULE SET OUT IN PARA 1 ABOVE WOULD ALLOW MR ROYLE THE NIGHT OF 6 JUNE AND THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON OF 7 JUNE IN HONG KONG,

4. MOD ASSUME THAT THE BOOKLET REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF YOUR TELNO 498 WILL BE AVAILABLE AT KAITAK IN TIME FOR THE FLIGHT.

5. WE STILL AWAIT CONFIRMATION FROM THE CHINESE EMBASSY THAT VISAS - WILL BE ISSUED HERE TO THE CREW, AND. WEAIT (MY TELNO 355) AND TO THE JOURNALISTS WHO WISH TO ACCOMPANY MR ROYLE (MY TELNO 359). THE EMBASSY HAVE THE PASSPORTS OF THE CREW AND WEAIT SUT STATE THAT THEY STILL HAVE NO INSTRUCTIONS FROM PEKING. GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD DRAW THE ATTENTION OF THE MFA TO THE, NEED TO SEND URGENT.

INSTRUCTIONS. IF THE SLIP CREW ARE TO LEAVE HERE ON 27 MAY THEY MUST HAVE THEIR VISAS BY THE EVENING OF 26 HAY. VISAS FOR THE OTHERS CONCERNED ARE NEEDED EQUALLY URGENTLY,

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DOUGLAS-HOME

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FED

P & CD HKLOD

MR WILFORD PS/MR ROYLE MR D A SCOTT SIR L MONSON

COPIES TO:

HQ AIR SUPPORT COMMAND

RAF UPPINGHAM

AIR OPERATIONS ROOM MOD

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