TNAG-0846-FCO40-1056-Visits-of-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 41

DRAFT FOR SIGNATURE BY MR PRINGLE

TO MR PATTISON, 10 DOWNING STREET

In my letter to you of 10 September I said that Mr Marten planned

to be in New Zealand for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

(CPA) Annual Conference from 13 November to 2 December.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary has agreed that Mr Marten

should pay short visits to Bangkok and Hong Kong on his way back from:

New Zealand to look at the work of the British Development Division in Bangkok and to call on the Acting Governor in Hong Kong. These stop- overs will require at most three days over and above his planned absence for the CPA Conference. Mr Marten will not be taking either

a Private Secretary or officials with him, but will be accompanied

by Mrs Marten.

I should be grateful if you could seek the Prime Minister's agreement

to this.

I am copying this letter to Murdo McLean (Chief Whip's Office) and

Martin Vile (Cabinet Office).