CONFIDENTIAL
post have advised against bringing businessmen. But this would be an opportunity to consolidate and expand
Mr Goodlad's contacts with Ministers and other prominent Thais; to discuss regional security issues with the military; to review our aid programme; and to visit South Thailand, where the Muslim separatist problem has flared up again.
JAPAN AND DÜSSELDORF
4.
Mr Goodlad hopes to visit Japan between 14 and 18 November: this would be almost 18 months since his last visit. The intention would be to spend one day making bilateral calls in the MFA and meeting some of the new political personalities and one day on export promotion activities (there are several such activities planned for that week, to which he could give a personal boost). The Minister is due to address the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce on the evening of 18 November, but would then like to visit Düsseldorf overnight on 19/20 November, at the recommendation of the post, to attend a trade fair.
CHINA AND HONG KONG
5. For obvious reasons, the Minister has not yet visited China since taking up his current responsibilities. recognising that a visit will not be possible unless our bilateral talks on electoral issues have reached a successful conclusion by, say, mid-October, Mr Goodlad would like to set aside 28 November to 2 December for this purpose. Apart from talks in Peking, post have recommended that a visit to Shandong or Fujian and Kunming would help to raise our profile there. The Minister would also like to consider taking businessmen with him on such a visit. It would be essential for Mr Goodlad to stop briefly in Hong Kong on the return journey to brief Exco and Legco members and the press about his visit. If China falls through, there are a variety of other commercially-oriented visits which posts have recommended that the Minister should make: Moscow and St Petersburg would feature high on the list.
MINISTERIAL COVER
6.
All the above dates are inclusive of travel. Other than a possible clash over 2 December, I understand that at least one other Minister of State will be in the UK during all of the periods when Mr Goodlad hopes to travel abroad. I attach the latest version of the Ministerial duty/leave roster as background (for you and PS/Ministers only).
G.J. Dorey'
Greg Dorey
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