Vance in England

LONDON--Secretary of State Cyrus Vance flew into London yesterday for the first formal U.S. talks with Britain's new Conservative government and the start of a two-week swing through Europe and the Middle East.

Vance's first meeting, scheduled for today with British Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington, is expected to be dominated by the dilemma facing both governments over Rhodesia.

Detente and the SALT II arms treaty--due to be signed next month between the United States and the Soviet Union--are also high on the agenda. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is committed to a less passive West European defense policy.