TNAG-0337-FCO40-373-Visit-of-the-Chancellor-of-the-Duchy-of-Lancaster--Sir-Geoff-1972 — Page 109

PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

FM F C O 231735Z

CONFIDENTIAL

COLLAR

DESKBY 250330Z

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY No.51

27 JUN 1972

TAKK 3/5V8/12

LAST

C

Rif.

(MW)

TO PRIORITY COLOMBO TELEGRAM NUMBER 287 OF 24 JUNE AND TO SINGAPORE, KUALA LUMPUR, DACCA, DELHI, BOMBAY, SEYCHELLES,

BOMBAY, SEYCHELLES, NAIROBI, PORT LOUIS, INFO UKDEL EEC BRUSSELS, ISLAMABAD, TOKYO, BANGKOK, HONG KONG,

ASIAN-AFRICAN TOUR BY THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER.

1. MR RIPPON HAS MADE A NUMBER OF VISITS OUTSIDE EUROPE IN THE PAST

TWO YEARS TO CONSULT, IN THE MAIN, COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENTS ABOUT OUR ENTRY INTO THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, AND TO INFORM A WIDER PUBLIC

ABOUT HMG'S EUROPEAN POLICY. HE HAS SO FAR VISITED AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND CANADA, AND THE CARIBBEAN, KONG KONG AND THE

UNITED STATES.

2.

DURING THE SUMMER RECESS, MR RIPPON IS PROPOSING TO VISIT A

NUMBER OF OTHER COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES. HE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS

THE EFFECT OF OUR ENTRY TO THE COMMUNITY WITH THOSE CONCERNED IN EACH

COUNTRY: AND TO UNDERTAKE A LIMITED PROGRAMME OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

ENGAGEMENTS. HE WOULD ALSO BE PREPARED TO APPEAR ON TELEVISION AND

MEET THE PRESS.

3.

MIFT SETS OUT THE PROPOSED PROGRAMME FOR MR RIPPON'S MINISTERIAL

VISITS. HE WOULD ARRIVE IN SINGAPORE, VIA BANGKOK AND HONG KONG

WHERE HE WOULD BE STAYING PRIVATELY. THE VISITS TO BOMBAY AND THE

SEYCHELLES WOULD BE STOP-OVER CALLS, WHEN HE WOULD NOT EXPECT TO

DO BUSINESS. HE WOULD BE ACCOMPANIED THROUGHOUT BY HIS PRIVATE

SECRETARY WHO WOULD WRITE LATER ABOUT THE DETAILS OF PROGRAMMES

IN EACH COUNTRY.

1

DELHI ONLY. THE INDIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER IN LONDON INVITED

MR RIPPON TO VISIT INDIA AT THEIR MEETING HERE ON 1 JUNE. THE

HIGH COMMISSIONER INDICATED THAT SEPTEMBER WOULD BE CONVENIENT

BUT NO FURTHER DETAILS WERE DISCUSSED.

CONFIDENTIAL

15.