INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND UK INTERESTS
GUIDELINES ON VISITS TO DEPARTMENTS AND RELEVANT OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS
1.
Aim
To identify the main participants inside and outside Government in the discussion of particular policy issues with external implications, or international issues with domestic repercussions; to appraise the different perspectives of the participants, and their implications for British policy; to consider the character of the contacts between the different participants; and to evaluate the consequences for the way in which policy is managed within government.
2.
Method
i. The members of the course will be divided into groups of approximately five; each group will be provided with background material on a specific topic or cluster of topics; and the groups should prepare from this material appropriate questions to form the basis of interviews.
ii. Each group will have a programme of three to four meetings arranged with relevant government departments and as appropriate with international secretariats, foreign embassies or other outside organisations; the length of each meeting will
vary from case to case.
iii.
The course members will all be officials and will be instructed to handle with great care meetings with outside organisations; they will be briefed to ask questions and not to reveal details of departmental thinking.
iv.
Each group will prepare a report on their topic for discussion subsequently with the course tutors.
3. Topics
Currently under consideration for the course visit on 12 November
are:
a.
b.
C.
German unification
Future of Hong Kong
British interests and South Africa
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.