PERSONAL
港布政司署
CONFIDENTIAL
GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT.
HONG KONG
Political Adviser's Office
X is new
Ms Samuel, FED Hkk 026/3
5.3
SAZOVLO HA REGISTRY N
23rd FebrĦAR 1979°
P. Cradock, Esq., C.M.G.,
Ambassador,
British Embassy,
Peking,
几
Mr Will
(send von ihr
China. Vaskeji party)
2.
3
INDEX
PA
Ac
No
Jos
X
The Governor's Visit to China
Because our communication system is not working I spoke last night to Robin McLaren about the timing, text and background briefing for the announcement of the Governor's visit.
2.
Robin told me that they had a telegram prepared, with Ministerial approval, agreeing that the visit should not be postponed because of developments in Vietnam; agreeing with the press statement and background briefing as suggested by but asking that the announcement should not be made on Monday 26th February as we had suggested. They asked that we should instead delay the announcement for a week until 6th March.
us;
3.
Although there will be an increasing risk of a leak if we delay that long, and although there can be no certainty that the Vietnamese situation will then look more propitious for an announcement, I think we have to accept this instruction. We are, therefore, postponing plans for an announcement and will plan to make it instead on 6th March unless some other factor intervenes.
4.
The NCNA came back to me yesterday agreeing with the dates for the visit as we had suggested. They said however that Li Qiang will be on a visit to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore and will be returning to Peking only on 25th March. They have, therefore, asked that the Governor should alter his suggested itinerary by leaving here on 24th March, staying in Canton on 25th March and flying to Peking on 26th March. This may make arrangements for preliminary_discussion with you in Peking slightly more difficult but I think we will have to accept what the Chinese suggest.
5. Could you please let me know however if this alternative timing will cause you great inconvenience. They have not, so far, said anything about the rest of the programme.
C.S. 154
cc: R JT McLaren
HK & General Dept.
D C Wilson) Political Adviser
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