TNAG-1158-FCO40-1438-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Hong-Kong--1982 — Page 7

>

CONFIDENTIAL

DSR 11C

relations have deteriorated since then and both H M Ambassado

in Peking and theGovernor in Hong Kong have drawn attention

to the likely adverse Chinese reaction to stopping over in

Moscow.

The next shortest route is via Elmendorf in Alaska

where a refuelling stop of one to one and a half hours would

be made.

(b) The Return Route

The quickest route back to London from Hong Kong, the last

point on the tour, would be via New Delhi and Bahrain. It

has been suggested that a stop over in Delhi might present

an opportunity of a meeting between the Prime Minister

and Mrs Gandhi, but

(a) the Programme for the last day in Hong Kong

as it stands will not permit the Prime Minister's

aircraft to reach Delhi until after midnight on

28 September, too late for a meeting, and

(b) Mrs Gandhi might not be in India at the time

as she is scheduled to visit Moscow sometime over

this period.

The recommendation, following consultation with the Departments

already tight concerned, is therefore that the programme in Hong Kong should

not be truncated to enable the VC10 to arrive in Delhi at a

might

time that would permit a meeting between the two Prime Ministe

3.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Prime Minister's aircraft should fly out to the

Far East via Elmendorf in Alaska and back via New Delhi and

Bahrain, and that the stops made are purely technical, ie no

meetings with local political leaders are arranged.

4.

FED, HKGD, EESD and SAD concur.

5.

A draft letter to No 10 is attached.

CONFIDENTIAL