TNAG-2927-FCO40-4202-Visits-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-C-1993 — Page 16

CONFIDENTIAL

7

MID 026

REC

20 DEC 1993

INDE

Mr Westrow

2

epa

PS/Mr Goodlad

Private Secretary

From: G W Hewitt

South East Asian Dept

2/12.Date: 20 December 1993

cc: PS/PUS

Mr Hum

Mr Masefield

Mr Ricketts, HKD

Mr Culshaw, News Dept Mr Wilkinson, Planners Ms Waugh, Protocol Dept Special Advisers

A

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO THE FAR EAST: EASTER 1994

1. We have consulted posts about bringing this visit forward to the week before Easter (27 March - 1 April 1994). Hanoi, Bangkok and Hong Kong have all now confirmed that a programme along the lines proposed in Mr Smith's minute of 9 December would, in principle, be acceptable.

2. Thailand presents the only problem. Although both Prime Minister Chuan and Deputy Foreign Minister Surin plan to be in Bangkok on 30 and 31 March, Foreign Minister Prasong has to leave for a meeting in Manila on the afternoon of 30 March. meeting in the VIP lounge at the airport might be possible if the Secretary of State arrives from Hanoi in time.

3. If the Secretary of State is now content to go firm on this visit, we should ask posts to put forward more detailed programme suggestions. I submit a self-explanatory telegram.

A

Tansley/02/subSoS

CONFIDENTIAL

G W Hewitt

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