PPS 175A
IMEDIATE
EN CLAIR
FM FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 181753Z
UNCLASSIFIED
DESKBY 190138Z
RECEIVED:
REGISTRY
20 DECW/3
HKK3/5+8/7
1973
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING TELEGRAM NO 1327 OF 18 DECEMBER INFO IMMEDIATE
GOVERNOR HONG KONG.
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA.
THE PRIME MINISTER HAS INFORMED PARLIAMENT THIS AFTERNOON THAT HE IS NOT GOING TO CHINA. NO 10 PRESS OFFICER PUT OUT THE FOLLOW-
ING ANNOUNCEMENT AT 4.45 PM:
QUOTE AS THE PRIME MINISTER STATED IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS THIS AFTERNOON, HE HAS DECIDED WITH REGRET THAT IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES
HE IS UNABLE TO VISIT CHINA IN JANUARY AS HAD BEEN PLANNED. THE VISIT IS ACCORDINGLY POSTPONED FOR THE PRESENT. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS SENT A MESSACE TO PREMIER CHOU EN-LAI TO THIS EFFECT. UNQUOTE
NO 13 ARE ALSO MAKING THE FOLLOWING ((FOLLOWING WORD UNDERLINED)) UNATTRIBUTABLE POINTS:
THE MESSAGE WAS SENT TO PEKING YESTERDAY AND HAS BEEN DELIVERED
BY SIR JOHN ADDIS.
2. THE PRIME MINISTER INFORMED THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR OF THE
DECISION YESTERDAY EVENING.
3.
NO DATE HAS BEEN FIXED FOR THE VISIT TO BE REINSTATED.
4. THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO HONG KONG HAS ALSO BEEN
POSTPONED.
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[COPIES SENT TO NO.10 DOWNING ST?
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