IT WOULD BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE AT THIS LATE STAGE TO GET THE INDONESIANS TO LAY ON A VISIT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. IF INDONESHA WERE NOT SINGLED OUT, DO NOT SEE HOW A TRIP TO PING COULD BE COMBINED WITH TRIPS TO KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE AND JAKARTA WITHOUT EXTENDING THE TIME EXCESSIVELY. MOREOVER, CHRISTMAS DAY IS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY IN INDONESIA. LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD, WE HAVE BEEN EXPRESSLY WARNED AGAINST A VISHT IN JANUARY AND LIIKEWISE IN MARCH. GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT WOULD SEEM SENSIBLE TO THINK OF GIVING THE INDONESIANS ABOUT THREE MONTHS' WARNING OF THE REINSTATEMENT. THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF COURTESY, BUT A PRACTICAL ONE RELATING TO THE VERY CROWDED PROGRAMME OF VISITS FROM OTHER QUARTERS. AS MENTIONED EARLIER, MRS THATCHER'S VISIT WOULD HAVE BEEN ONLY ONE OF SIX VISITS BY DISTINGUISHED VISITORS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER. THERE WILL BE A STEADY STREAM DURING 1985 AND THE INDONESIANS ARE HOPEFUL THAT THEY WILL GET VISITS FROM MITTERRAND AND REAGAN,
4. IF YOU CAN KEEP THE EASTER OPTION ALIVE, SO MUCH THE BETTER. IF A DECISION IN PRINCIPLE WERE TAKEN IN NOVEMBER, THIS WOULD ENABLE ME TO HAVE PURPOSEFUL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PROTOCOL DEPARTMENT HERE. IN THE COURSE OF THESE WOULD HOPE
TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHEN IN 1985 THERE IS A SLOT WHICH WOULD
SUIT THE INDONESIANS. IF NO 10 ARE AGAINST TRAVELLING AT EASTER,
t
WE SHALL HAVE TO DO OUR BEST WITH AN AUTUMN VISIT. BUT IF THERE IS A SERIOUS RISK THAT CHOGM WILL GET IN THE WAY, IT WOULD BE FAR BETTER FOR THE PRIME MINISTER TO SEND A PERSONAL LETTER (NOT A TELEGRAPHED MESSAGE) SOON TO PRESIDENT SOEHARTO EXPLAINING THE PROBLEMS OVER THE COMING YEAR.
A E DONALD
BE ARMED WITH SOMETHING P
EVENT HAVE TO EXPLAIN THAT PRIORITY HAS TO BE GIVEN TO THE PEKING VISIT.
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