CONFIDENTIAL
Reference
RECEIVED IN RESISTRY NO. 51
19 OCT 1973
DEK OFFICE
REGISTRY
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Action Taken
Mr Cooper
Mr Masefield
INDEX
!
170
1.
Mr Kobayashi of the Japanese Embassy called on me on 18 October to discuss Huang Hua's visit to the UK. He did not want a set piece account from me, but concentrated on the following specific questions based on his reading of various press accounts:-
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
Future visits
I confirmed that the Prime Minister had invited Chairman Hua and that Huang had renewed the invitation to the Prime Minister to visit China and explained the background to both these invitations.
Hong Kong
In
I confirmed that the two sides had expressed themselves satisfied with the present good, practical co-operation over Hong Kong. response to a question about the lease, I said that we were confident that the wider issues would be resolved satisfactorily in due
course.
East-West Relations
I summarised the main points of the Ministerial discussions on the lines of the briefing given to Community partners.
Arms Sales
I confirmed that this issue had not arisen in the Ministerial talks. And in answer to further questions on HMG's policy I drew attention to the Secretary of State's press briefing of 13 October. Kobayashi went on to ask whether I had been involved in the recent activity over marine gas turbines. It transpired that he had been instructed to obtain technical specifications of the engines which Rolls Royce were discussing with the Chinese. I referred him to Mr Marshall, TRED.
Kobayashi said that Mr Sonoda would be briefed to explain during his forthcoming visit to the UK, Japan's attitude to the Sino-Japanese Treaty. He said he may wish to ask for my assistance in preparing a brief on Sino-UK relations. I would be happy to oblige!
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19 October 1978
CODE 18-77
cc:
Mr Marshall, TRED
and
Ros
RE Allen
I said
Far Eastern Department
Mr Thompson, HKGD Chancery Peking