TNAG-1297-FCO40-1652-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 121

CONFIDENTIAL

12. FED (Mr Uden)

3.

Soviet Dept (Ms Young)

Reference...

Mr. Humy

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TXY 408/503/3 67

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SECRETARY OF STATE'S TOUR OF THE FAR EAST: FLIGHT LONDON

1.

PEKING

Now that Peking is the first stop on the Secretary of State's tour of the Far East a decision must be taken on the route of the RAF VC10 on the outward flight in order that departure time from the UK and arrival time in Peking can be finalized.

2. Before submitting to the Private Secretary I should be grateful to know whether a flight via Moscow ould be politically acceptable.

I set out below the alternative routes. You will see that to go via Moscow would save over 6 hours.

3.

Flying time

a) Dep London Heathrow

Arr Moscow

refuelling

Dep Moscow

Arr Peking

b) Dep London Heathrow

Arr Bahrain

refuelling

Dep Bahrain

Arr Delhi

refuelling

Dep Delhi

Arr Peking

3 hrs 35 mins

1 hr 30 mins

8 hrs 40 mins

TOTAL

13 hrs 45 mins

7 hrs

1 hr

4 hrs 20 mins

1 hr 30 mins

6 hrs 15 mins

TOTAL

20 hrs 05 mins

HICK 027/2.

R.

14 MAR 1284

Shein Wagkorn

S M Waghorn (Miss) Protocol Department (SG95 273 3633)

CODE 18-77

12 March 1984

CONFIDENTIAL