Tillerson cagey on presiding at London embassy opening

WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is cagey about whether he’ll preside over the inauguration of the new U.S. embassy in London next week.

President Donald Trump tweeted last week that he would not come for the formal opening ceremony because the gleaming new embassy in a former industrial neighbourhood represented a poor investment. Tillerson could take Trump’s place.

Tillerson confirmed to reporters late Wednesday that he is making a one-day visit to London next week. He said he typically visits U.S. diplomatic missions when he visits a country to engage with the staff there, but he doesn’t yet have a detailed itinerary.

He said British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is packing the agenda for his visit, “but I hope to get by the embassy.”