J
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1
file
227
P M Corley Esq
CRE 4
Department of Trade
and Industry
1 Victoria Street
Telephone 01-
Your reference
Our reference HKK 3/548/3
Date
12 February 1973
(12) 13A).
(E/18)
1.
Dear Corky,
la
2-201
20 / 1
You spoke to Richard Evans and to me about the implications for Hong Kong of the visits by Mr Walker and Mr Heseltine to Peking.
2.
As far as Hong Kong is concerned, the Governor has already been consulted about Mr Heseltine's proposed visit. In case they have not reached you I attach copies of FCO telegram No 74 and Hong Kong telegrams Nos 97 and 105. This exchange was initiated by Trade Relations Department here but I imagine that it was at your predecessor's instigation. As a result Hong Kong are expecting a visit from Mr Heseltine and hoping for one from Mr Walker.
3.
I also enclose a copy of a letter to Richard Evans from our Under-Secretary, Michael Wilford, to which we referred on the telephone. From this it appears that Hong Kong would prefer visits on the ingoing rather than on the outgoing leg of Ministers' journeys to China. As I understand it you thought that, in the light of this advice, it might be possible to arrange for Mr Heseltine to spend several days in Hong Kong on the way into China, and Mr Walker at least one night on the way back. Given that Mr Walker could not anyway spend a longer time in Hong Kong I think the arrangement you have in mind would do very well. Mr Heseltine could have substantive talks on his way into China and Mr Walker could reassure public opinion on the way out.
4. Perhaps you would let me know what your Ministers decide, including their proposed timetable. It would be helpful if we could have definite news this week, both so that we could tell Hong Kong, and also so that we could inform the FCO Ministerial Visits Committee which is due to meet on 19 February.
Yours even
ENC: 4
كالاسا
CONFIDENTIAL
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department
Page 90Page 91
Sir E Morris