GR 200
CONFIDENTIAL
R1 FCO 081912Z MAR 79
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
See BB
☺☺
TELEGRAM NUMBER 194 OF 8 MARCH
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
HKK 026/5
LIVED BASTRY NO 51
HAR 1979
36K 0: INDEX
YOUR TELNO 1493 MY VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG
T
9/3
R
1, SINCE THE TIME AVAILABLE FOR MY ASIAN TOUR IS LIMITED (PARTICULARLY WITH THE C H G M COMING UP IN AUGUST) AND I WISH
TO VISIT A NUMBER OF COMMONWEALTH CAPITALS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA AND
THE SUB-CONTINENT AS WELL AS HONG KONG, I HAVE DECIDED WITH REGRET THAT MY VISIT TO CHINA MUST BE CONFINED TO PEKING AND TO DROP THE IDEA OF A PROVINCIAL TOUR, PROVIDED THE GOVERNOR AND THE CHINESE SEE NO DIFFICULTY, I WOULD ARRIVE IN HONG KONG OVERNIGHT BY RA F VC10 FROM COLOMBO AT 0900 LOCAL TIME ON WEDNESDAY 11 APRIL, LEAVING FOR PEKING AT 0900 OR EARLIER ON THURSDAY THE 12TH TO FIT IN WITH THE BEST TIMING FOR THE CHINESE. IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR SHORT VISITS TO SINGAPORE, KUALA LUMPUR, BANGKOK, DACCA, DELHI AND PROBABLY
ISLAMABAD AFTER LEAVING CHINA I WOULD PREFER TO DEPART FROM PEKING
LATE IN THE EVENING OF SATURDAY 14 APRIL, SO THAT I COULD SPEND
THAT NIGHT IN HONG KONG. I WOULD LIKE TIME FOR A MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR BEFORE DEPARTURE FOR SINGAPORE PM ON SUNDAY 15 APRIL. 2. | SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD NOW SEEK HUANG HUA'S AGREEMENT
TO A VISIT ON THIS BASIS, EXPLAINING THAT I MUST FIT IN A NUMBER OF
VISITS TO ASIAN COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES BEFORE RETURNING TO LONDON
AND THAT I AM VERY SORRY I CANNOT THEREFORE SPEND AS LONG IN
CHINA AS I HAD ORIGINALLY HOPED. A PROGRAMME ON THE LINES OF THE PROPOSALS IN YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE LOOKS RIGHT IN PRINCIPLE, SUBJECT TO THE INEVITABLE CONSTRAINTS ON TIMING, BUT I SHOULD ALSO
BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR DETAILED SUGGESTIONS IN THE LIGHT OF THE
CHINESE RESPONSE. PLEASE ALSO TELL THE CHINESE THAT I EXPECT MY
WIFE WILL BE COMING. DETAILS OF THE REST OF THE ACCOMPANYING
PARTY WILL BE SENT TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
OWEN
FILES
FED,
HKIGD
MED.
SAD
SEAD
SECURITY D
PUSD
PLANNING STAFF
PCD.
NEWS.D.
Ps
PS/HR LUARA PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
PS PUS
SIR.A.DUFF
ме морDA
MR J.MOBERLY HR CORTAZZ1,
CONFIDENTIAL