TNAG-1302-FCO40-1658-Visits-by-Richard-Luce--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1984 — Page 60

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Mr Hartland-Swann, SEAD

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H B Warren-Gash 11 April 1984

cc: Dr Wilson

Mr Chift, KKD Parliamentary Unit

Mr. Ayn

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RELATIONS WITH THAILAND

1.

Our Ambassador in Thailand called on Mr Luce this morning. A number of points arose which require follow-up action. These were:-

2.

i)

ii)

iii)

iv)

John Watson MP is due to visit Thailand shortly on commercial business. Mr Luce agreed with Mr Staples that it would be helpful if he could be persuaded to under- take some official engagements while he is there;

Mr Luce mentioned his own plans to visit Thailand in September. Mr Staples encouraged him to come, but suggested that he should include Bangkok near the start of his tour to avoid any risk of overlapping with the Duke of Gloucester;

in

it was agreed that ways should be sought of increasing the exchange of Parliamentary visits. Mr Luce offered to write to the Chairman of the British branch of the IPU about this. But Mr Staples thought that, the first instance, it might be better to see whether the Thais could be persuaded to issue an invitation themselves. We could then suggest a good list of names.

in addition to the Parliamentary exchanges, Mr Staples suggested that a visit by the Speaker would be useful at some point as a way of emphasising our democratic links, Mr Luce agreed and suggested that the first step should be to discover the Speaker's travel plans, and whether he was contemplating any tours to the area.

On the last point, it would be helpful if you could discover through Parliamentary Unit, what the Speaker's plans are. Action on point (iii) above rests with Mr Staples. On the first two, I would be grateful if you could seek to get in touch with Mr Watson urgently to establish whether he would be willing to

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