TNAG-1635-FCO40-2251-Overseas-visits-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-1988 — Page 108

GR'S

CONFIDENTIAL

FM BANGKOK

CONFIDENTIAL

TO DESKBY 031100Z F C o

TELNO 222

OF 030925Z APRIL 87

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

+

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO THAILAND, 20-22 APRIL

1.

THE OUTLINE PROGRAMME AS IT NOW STANDS IS CONTAINED

IN MIFT.

2.

THE MAIN CHANGES FROM THE PROGRAMME PROPOSED IN

YOUR TELNO 195 ARE AS FOLLOWS:-

PA

(A) THE SANDWICH LUNCH AT THE BORDER CAMP HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD FROM 1130 TO 1115 AND THE PARTY IS NOW SCHEDULED

TO LEAVE SITE 2 FOR BANGKOK AT 1200 INSTEAD OF 1230.

THIS WILL ALLOW ADEQUATE TIME FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

TO CHANGE AT THE RESIDENCE BEFORE. DEPARTING FOR ESCAP.

WE HAVE NOW FIXED FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO SPEAK AFTER

SIDDHI AND WU. THEIR SPEECHES SHOULD BE 20 MINUTES EACH STARTING AT 1430, SO EVEN IF THERE IS A LITTLE SLIPPAGE

THE S OF S SHOULD BE SPEAKING BY 1530. HOWEVER JUST IN

CASE THINGS GO AS SCHEDULED THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL

NEED TO BE IN THE ESCAP BUILDING A LITTLE IN ADVANCE OF THE

TIME SCHEDULED FOR HIS SPEECH.

(B) SIDDHI HAS TURNED DOWN THEP'S SUGGESTION OF A TRILATERAL DINNER WITH WU ON THE GROUNDS THAT HE WANTS TO HAVE A

SEPARATE 3ILATERAL DINNER WITH EACH VISITING FOREIGN MINISTER.

THE THAIS ARE NOW OFFERING A BILATERAL DINNER AT 2030, WHICH

IS RATHER LATE BUT INEVITABLE BECAUSE SIDDHI IS HOSTING A

RECEPTION FOR ESCAP DELEGATIONS FROM 1800-2000.

3.

THERE ARE HOWEVER STILL SOME UNCERTAINTIES IN THE

PROGRAMME.

CRUCIALLY THE CHINESE EMBASSY HAVE YET TO CONFIRM

THAT WU WILL BE ABLE TO MEET THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TALKS

FROM 1545-1715 ON 21 APRIL AS WE HAVE REQUESTED. THE LAST

TIME WE PRESSED THEM THEY SUGGESTED THAT WE MIGHT GET A

SPEEDIER REPLY VIA THE EMBASSY IN PEKING AND THE CHINESE

FOREIGN MINISTRY.

4. THERE ALSO REMAINS A SLIGHT DIFFICULTY OVER THE LOCATION

FOR THE TALKS WITH WU. IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO ENSURE

COMPLETE SECURITY OF A MEETING AT THE ESCAP BUILDING, BUT THE

CLOSEST ALTERNATIVE TO ESCAP WOULD BE THE MFA SEMICOLON

BOTH WE AND THE CHINESE EMBASSY ARE CONSIDERABLY FURTHER

AWAY FROM THE ESCAP BUILDING. WE SUGGEST THAT WE DECIDE

THE LOCATION ONCE THE TIMING IS FIRM.

CONFIDENTIAL

is.

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See 23

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