Minister of State's visit

This file relates to a visit by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Goronwy Roberts to the Gulf in November 1967. It contains correspondence concerning:

• Itinerary, subject agendas and travel arrangements
• Draft announcement of the visit to the press, with particular concern about how to rank references to Iran and Bahrain and how to refer to the Gulf region
• Briefs for the visit, including the question of whether Roberts should discuss HMG's withdrawal from the Gulf and the political future of the region, with the Rulers eager for news given the debacle in South Arabia
• The Sultan's plans to proceed with electricity, water, housing, and hospital projects in Muscat, Matrah [Muttrah] and the Duru; the lifting of restrictions on Trucial States subjects coming to the Batinah; and the Sultan's agreement to see Mr Barran of the BBC and Sam Pope Brewer of the New York Times