TNAG-1371-FCO40-1817-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 218

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and there are no issues which currently require a further such

meeting. If the UK were to decide to procure the A129 to meet

its Light Attack helicopter requirement, this would provide a

suitable occasion for a visit by Minister (DP).

4. In relation to the smaller NATO countries, we recommended

in December 1983 that the Secretary of State should invite the

Dutch Defence Minister to visit the UK; in the end this proved

impossible. Though recent contacts between Minister (DP) and his

Dutch counterpart are likely to continue during the coming year

in connection with collaborative projects and the possible sale

of Vertical Launched Sea Wolf, both we and the FCO believe that

higher level contact would be valuable in reinforcing the Dutch

Government in its robust stance on INF. An outward visit by

the Secretary of State is therefore proposed. The Secretary of

State has also recently accepted an invitation to return his

Danish opposite number's 1984 visit to the UK, some time later

this year.

5. With a Spanish decision on continued NATO membership

expected during the coming year, Anglo-Spanish Ministerial con-

tacts in 1985 will assume a special importance.

The planned

inward visit by the Spanish Defence Minister in February will

provide an ideal opportunity for the Secretary of State to convey

the UK's view on this issue. A sales related outward visit by

Minister (DP) may also take place in April.

6.

Though there have neen some recent problems in our relations

with Norway, both the Secretary of State and Minister (AF) (twice)

have visited the country during the last year, and S of S has

recently hosted a successful visit by his Norwegian counterpart,

Mr Sjaastad. Current plans for Minister (AF)'s opposite number

to vist the UK this month, and for a further visit by Mr Stanley

B

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