TNAG-2617-FCO40-3808-Visit-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-C-1992 — Page 71

CONFIDENTIAL

(55)

066105

MDHOAN 9236

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 06020OZ TOKYO

TELNO 78

OF 051554Z FEBRUARY 92

HKD 02613

ГОР СОР Q DIST?

ZB

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

AND TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

Enter

4/2

ак

TOKYO TEL NO 72 (NOT TO ALL): LORD CAITHNESS' VISIT

1. WITH THE GREATEST REGRET LORD CAITHNESS HAS CONCLUDED THAT HE MUST POSPONE HIS VISIT TO JAPAN AND HONG KONG PLANNED FOR 12-22 FEBRUARY. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE BILL (THE COUNCIL TAX) WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE REPORT STAGE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 17 FEBRUARY AND THE CHIEF WHIP HAS

MADE CLEAR THAT HE NEEDS LORD CAITHNESS IN LONDON TO VOTE. ALTHOUGH LORD CAITHNESS HAS SUCCESSFULLY CIRCUMVENTED SUCH PARLIAMENTARY OBSTACLES IN THE PAST, HE FEELS THAT HE HAS NO OPTION ON THIS OCCASION BUT TO DO HIS DUTY IN THE GOVERNMENT LOBBY. (THE GOVERNMENT'S MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS IS OF COURSE MUCH LESS RELIABLE THAN IN THE COMMONS).

2. LORD CAITHNESS REMAINS VERY KEEN TO VISIT BOTH HONG KONG AND

JAPAN SOON. HE NOTES THE RECOMMENDATION IN TUR THAT A POSTPONED VISIT SHOULD BE RESCHEDULED FOR MUCH LATER BUT HE CANNOT ALLOW THE VISIT TO SLIP BY MORE THAN TWO WEEKS WITHOUT RUNNING A HIGH RISK OF IT BECOMING EMBROILED IN A GENERAL

ELECTION CAMPAIGN. HE WOULD THEREFORE LIKE TO REARRANGE THE VISIT FOR WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY SATURDAY 7 MARCH. IT WOULD HAVE THE SAME SHAPE AS THE ORIGINAL VISIT (IN OTHER WORDS TOKYO/FUKUOKA/HIROSHIMA, SUNDAY 1 MARCH TO HONG KONG ON CX 503, SATURDAY 7 MARCH TO LONDON ON BA 28) EXCEPT THAT HE WOULD PROPOSE TO FLY OUT FROM LONDON ON JAL 402 WHICH ARRIVES IN TOKYO AT 1550 ON 26 FEBRUARY RATHER THAN THE BA FLIGHT.

3. LORD CAITHNESS GREATLY REGRETS THE INCONVENIENCE HE KNOWS THAT THIS WILL CAUSE. BUT THE PARLIAMENTARY OBLIGATION IS UNAVOIDABLE AND HE REMAINS KEEN TO VISIT HONG KONG AND JAPAN AGAIN IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. HE WILL EXPLAIN THE CIRCUMSTANCES TO THE JAPANESE AMBASSADER HERE AND ASK HIM TO PASS ON HIS APOLOGIES TO OWADA.