TNAG-0941-FCO40-1160-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1980 — Page 222

CONFIDENTIAL

6. If the Secretary of State were to depart from Urumqui for London at the end of his stay the flying times would be as follows :

7.

Urumqui/Bahrain

6 hours 20

1 hour on the ground in Bahrain and then

Bahrain/London

Total

8 hours 15

15 hours 35

From Shanghai, Xian, Chongqing or Kunming to London the route would be via Colombo and the flying time China/Colombo would be between 7 hours 30 and 8 hours 30. One hour landing time would be required at Colombo for refuelling and staging would then be via Bahrain (5 hours flying time). Another one hour would be required at Bahrain with a flying time from there of 8 hours 15. The maximum total, therefore, would be 23 hours 45 minutes.

The RAF have now given me times for the New York /Hong Kong leg of the journey. The suggested route would be via Alaska and the flying time New York/Alaska (Elmendorff) would be 7 hours 40, with one hour on the ground for refuelling. The flight from Elmendorff to Tokyo or another airport in Japan would be 7 hours 40 with one hour on the ground for refuelling. The Tokyo/Hong Kong leg would then be another 5 hours. This comes to a total of 22 hours 20 minutes journey time. This would mean that if the Secretary of State were to leave New York at say 1230 local time on 25 September he would arrive in Hong Kong at 2250 local time on 26 September.

8.

These times are obviously estimates at this stage. Perhaps you would let me know whether or not there is any objection to the Secretary of State staging through Tokyo or Japan on the outward journey bearing in mind that he will later be visiting the country in his official capacity. The route given is by far the quickest and, therefore, the most economical. Any avoidance of Tokyo could add significantly to the flying time which is already pretty long. The flying time for the leg Tokyo to Peking is 4 hours 25 minutes. I hope that the foregoing gives you sufficient information to plan the programmes in more detail.

As I told you on the telephone the arrangements for this visit are now being taken over by Miss Noble (Tel 233 4507).

9.

15 July 1980

cc:

Mrs S Wiseman

UN Dept

FIDENTIAL

P CE Davies Protocol & Conference Department