TNAG-2927-FCO40-4202-Visits-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-C-1993 — Page 62

MDHIAN

Mart 1 that he

I that he insane!

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INAUGURATION ON 25 FEBRUARY BEFORE THE MEMBERS OF THE FORTHCOMING ADMINISTRATION ARE NAMED AND WE SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO GET DOWN TO MEANINGFUL PROGRAMME-PLANNING UNTIL PROBABLY APRIL. BUT SINCE THE PROPOSED VISIT RUNS INTO THE EASTER WEEKEND, OFFICIALS WHO ARE CURRENTLY PREPARING BRIEFING PAPERS AND PROGRAMME ADVICE FOR THE

NEW MINISTERS NEED TO TAKE IT ON BOARD AT AN EARLY STAGE. SIMILARLY, WE SHOULD GIVE POTENTIAL NON-OFFICIAL HOSTS AS MUCH NOTICE AS POSSIBLE.

5. DR SOHMAN'S WIFE WAS HERE SOME WEEKS AGO FOR THE LAUNCH OF ANOTHER SHIP BEING BUILT FOR WORLD WIDE SHIPPING BY DAEWOO. I MET HER AND LADY PURVES (HONG KONG BANK) THEN BUT WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE LAUNCHING MYSELF. THESE EVENTS FOLLOW A WELL-ESTABLISHED PATTERN WHICH ALREADY SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE. THE PATTERN IMPOSES, THEREFORE, A BIT OF A STRAIGHT-JACKET. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE OWNERS HAVE IN MIND IN TERMS OF SIGHTSEEING. BUT I IMAGINE THAT THEY WOULD PROBABLY PLAN SOMETHING IN THE HISTORIC CITY OF KYONGJU WHICH IS NOT TOO FAR FROM THE CITY OF PUSAN. (WE ARE TAKING CHRISTOPHER HUM THERE THIS WEEKEND). GETTING ABOUT IN THE PUSAN-KOJEDO-KYONGJU AREA CAN HOWEVER BE A NIGHTMARE IF THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE TO CARS. THINGS COULD BE PARTICULARLY AWKWARD ON THE EVE OF THE EASTER HOLIDAY. THE SECRETARY OF STATE FLEW BY RAF VC10 TO THE AIRPORT AT CHINHAE, I HOPE THAT THE OWNERS WOULD BE ARRANGING MOVEMENT BY HELICOPTER (DAEWOO HAVE SEVERAL AVAILABLE).

6.

IF

MRS HURD. A PROGRAMME FOR MRS HURD COULD BE TAILORED TO MEET HER PARTICULAR INTERESTS. IT COULD COVER SEEING SOMETHING OF THE EDUCATIONAL AND HEALTH FACILITIES HERE IN SEOUL WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE NEEDS OF THE FOREIGNERS. WE COULD ARRANGE FOR HER TO MEET EMBASSY WIVES (ALTHOUGH MOST OF THEM WORK). EQUALLY, VISITS TO TEMPLES, MUSEUMS OR OTHER CULTURAL SITES COULD EASILY BE ARRANGED. IF THE FOREIGN MINISTER GAVE A STAG DINNER FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON THE FIRST EVENING OR IF I GAVE A SIMILAR WORKING DINNER, WE COULD MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR MRS HURD TO GO TO KOREA HOUSE WHERE SHE COULD EAT AND ALSO SEE A KOREAN DANCE DISPLAY. (I VERY MUCH REGRET THAT MY OWN WIFE MAY NOT BE IN POST AT THE TIME SINCE SHE MAY HAVE TO BE IN THE UK THEN FOR AN OPERATION MY DAUGHTER NEEDS TO HAVE.)

WRIGHT

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