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027/6
LD IN REGISTRY
17 OCT 1985
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM:
BLOK OFFICER
REGISTRY
DATE:
INDEX
PA
Action Taken
KI
M. Than
·200
CC:
I C Orr, Far Eastern Department
17 October 1985
Mr Hartland-Swann, SEAD
Mr Galsworthy, HKD
Mr Gibbs, Protocol Dept Mr Sprague, News Dept
Dr Wilson
PROPOSED VISIT TO THE FAR EAST BY MR RENTON, JANUARY 1986
PROBLEM
1.
When should Mr Renton visit Thailand, China and Japan?
RECOMMENDATION
2.
I recommend that he should so so from 17-30 January 1986 (spending, additionally, one night in Hong Kong). SEAD and HKD agree.
BACKGROUND
3. Before last month's ministerial changes, arrangements were far advanced for Mr Luce to visit Thailand, China (and, very briefly, Hong Kong) from 17-25 September. These visits had to be cancelled at short notice on Mr Luce's departure from the FCO. The last visit by an FCO Minister of State responsible for the Far East to Thailand was in December 1982 (by Lord Belstead), to China in January 1982 (by Sir Humphrey Atkins) and to Japan in October 1984 (by Mr Luce).
ARGUMENT
3.
All three countries are currently of particular importance to us. I understand Mr Renton considers it essential to gain early first-hand experience of them.
4.
The case for an FCO Minister visiting Thailand was set out in Mr Hartland-Swann's submission of 14 May which Mr Luce agreed. The Thais were particularly sorry that the Prime Minister was unable to include Thailand in her Easter tour. The need for Mr Luce to cancel his proposed September visit compounded the Thais' sense of disappointment. It is logical and fitting that Mr Renton should now take an early opportunity to visit, the more so in the light of the Thai Prime Minister's successful visit here earlier this month. The Thais remain in an exposed position politically, feeling threatened by Vietnamese troops on their borders and shocked by the attempted coup d'etat in September. Mr Renton's visit would underline
/ the importance
CONFIDENTIAL
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