TNAG-1260-FCO40-1600-Briefings-for-Ministers-and-FCO-officials-on-the-future-of-H-1983 — Page 112

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Mr James

CONFIDENTIAL

in Prist

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Thick

FROM: J R Young, Head of WED DATE: 4 August 1983

cc: Miss Reid, PCD

Miss Lothian, Private Office Defence Dept

ECD (I)

ECD (E)

EESD

SAMD

MCAD

FID

CAfD

HKD

SED

NAD

FED

SAfD

VISIT BY DR ALOIS MERTES: MINISTER OF STATE AT THE FRG MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 12/13 SEPTEMBER

S

PROBLEM

1.

To confirm the programme for Dr Mertes visit.

RECOMMENDATION

2. I recommend a programme as in the attached draft telegram

to Bonn. ECD(I), ECD(E), Defence Department, MCAD, FID,

SAMD, CAfD, HKD, FED and SED agree.

BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT

3. Mr Wood advocated an invitation to Dr Mertes in his minute

of 13 July, as did the Embassy in paragraph 5 of Mr Mallaby's

letter of 28 June.

4.

Dr Mertes had accepted Mr Hurd's invitation to visit London

on 25/26 May for talks on the Community, defence and arms

control. Lord Belstead had arranged a familiarisation visit

to Germany (including talks with Dr Mertes) at the beginning

of June. Mr Onslow had planned to visit Bonn to discuss

areas (particularly Latin America and Africa) within his field of responsibility with German Ministers and officials. These

plans fell through, first because of the German elections on

6 March, and then because of ours on 9 June.

5. The draft telegram proposes topics for an agenda, including

those listed in Mr Torry's letter of 29 July.

6. Dr Mertes is the senior CDU politician in the Auswaertiges Amt

and deputises for Herr Genscher across the board.

CONFIDENTIAL

He seems

/to