TNAG-1892-FCO40-2685-Visits-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe-and-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretaries-1989 — Page 83

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Sir J Fretwell

Mr Stone

CONFIDENTIAL Coverg

14/8

Secret

FROM: D H Gimbre

CC:

Mr Wood&W/ Ente +ps.

Please let Mr

I told Mr Cages Cooper know (today) about frids the state of the Royal Visch

MINISTERIAL VISITS COMMITTEE

1.

Us/14/15

W37 270 2156

11 August 1989

Mr Cooper, Planners

Mr Tomkys

Mr Bayne

Mr Moss

Mr Hervey

Mr Hulse, EED

Mr Synnott, WED Mr Weston, SED Mr Gowan, Soviet Dept Protocol Dept

Heads of all Asian and

American Depts

Thank you for sending me a copy of your minute of 10 August to Mr Cooper. Unfortunately, I shall not be able to attend your meeting on Monday 14 August.

2. I am sure you are right to emphasise the pressure on the Secretary of State during his first 12 months. One of the first things on which we were able to persuade him to reach a decision was his visit to Washington on 11 September and to the UNGA on, I think 24 September. As I understand it, both of these are now firm fixtures in his diary. As you will be aware, he decided to cancel the Mexico and Jamaica legs, which had been planned initially for Sir G Howe as an appendage to the Washington visit.

3.

Other points which I would be grateful if you could consider at your meeting are:

a.

b.

Tokyo

You refer to this in paragraph 2 of your minute. I would certainly rate this as highly important. We need to maintain the rythm of Ministerial contact initiated by Sir G Howe. I hope, therefore that а Japan/Korea visit for Easter 1990 or earlier can be maintained.

Hong Kong

This is essential. I think he should go before the end of I the year and his mind is moving in this direction too (viz

what he said to the Sunday Express last weekend). But there are considerable complications over the timing, which will have to be tactically adjusted to fit in with an announcement of our nationality policy, a possible visit by the Prince and Princess of Wales (the Prime Minister has deferred a decision on this, alas) and a visit by Mr Maude. I do not think that the Secretary of State has reached a conclusion, but will clearly need to do so fairly soon.

/c.

CONFIDENTIAL