PM Transcripts

FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 38/ 1967
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO ASIA
The broad itinerary for the visit by the Prime Minister,
Mr. Holt, to Asia has now been determined. Mr. Holt will be visiting
Cambodia, Laos, Taiwan and Korea at the invitation of the Governments of
those countries. Mr. Holt will fly by Qantas to Singapore where he will spend
the night of 28th March. He will then travel by a RAAF Viscount to Cambodia
( 29th March/ 3lst March), Laos ( 1st April/ 2nd April), Hong Kong ( transit to
and overnight stop on 3rd April), Taiwan ( 4th April/ 6th April) and Korea
( 6th April/ 9th April). He will arrive back in Sydney the following morning
This will be Mr. Holt's third visit to Asia since becoming
Prime Minister last year. The main purpose of this journey is to enable him
to visit the four remaining countries of the area with which he has not
previously made some personal contact. Each of these countries has a special
significance for Australia. Mrs. Holt will accompany the Prime Minister. Officials
included in the Prime Minister's party are Sir Laurence McIntyre, CBE,
( Deputy Secretary, Department of External Affairs), Mr. D. J. Munro
( First Assistant Secretary, Prime Minister's Department), Mr. R. A. Woolcott,
( Counsellor, Department of External Affairs) and Mr. F. WN. Jennings ( Prime
Minister's Department). The Prime Minister's personal staff will comprise his
Press Secretary, Mr. T. Eggleton. and his Private Secretary, Miss P. A.
De Lacy. Dr. M. de L. Faunce of Canberra will serve as medical
adviser to the party. Considerable press interest is being displayed in Mr. Holt's
Asian visit and it is expected that a press party of about 14 representatives of
press, radio and television will accompany the Prime Minister, travelling
in a separate aircraft.
CANBERRA, 6th March, 1967
BACKGROUND NOTE: Mr. Holt's two previous visits to Asia were
1. April, 1966: Viet Nam, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore
2. October, 1966: The Philippines ( Manila Conference)