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CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 270433Z NOV 82
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1395 OF 27 NOVEMBER
LORD BELSTEAD'S VISIT
нкн
Mick 026/3
AM AG3/12
1. THE PRESS CONFERENCE WHICH THE MINISTER OF STATE IS TO GIVE
AT THE END OF HIS VISIT HERE IS LIKELY TO BE DOMINATED BY THE
FUTURE: AND WHAT HE SAYS COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON CONFIDENCE HERE.
2. THE QUESTIONS WITH WHICH LORD BELSTEAD COULD BE FACED INCLUDE:·
(1) WHAT DOES THE MINISTER THINK OF THE CHINESE PLAN? WAS THE PRIME
MINISTER TOLD ABOUT IT IN PEKING?
(2) WHAT IS HMG'S PLAN FOR THE FUTURE?
(3) WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE TALKS? IS THERE A HOLD-UP, AND IF
SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
(4) IF THERE IS NO HOLD-UP WHY IS THERE NO SIGN OF ACTIVITY? IT
IS MORE THAN TWO MONTHS SINCE MRS. THATCHER'S VISIT.
(5) WHY ISN'T LORD BELSTEAD GOING TO PEKING?
3. IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO GIVE SOME CONSIDERATION TO THESE ISSUES
BEFORE LORD BELSTEAD LEAVES LONDON. THE AMBASSADOR IN PEKING WILL NO DOUBT HAVE VIEWS.
See 194
Ав
YOUDE
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LIMITED
HK & GD
PS
FED
PLANNING STAFF
PUSD
PS/LORD BELSTEAD
PS/FUS
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
{
COPIES TO
SIR I SINCLAIR
MR ROBERTS
MR COLES
MR MARTIN
LEGAL ADVISER
NEWS D
NO 10 DOWNING STREET
ASSESSMENTS STAFF
CABINET OFFICE
CONFIDENTIAL
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