SECRET
FUTURE EGRET
Hal HKSD
OP COPY
See tikko40/920
778 1
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2
PP HONG KONG
GRS 219
SECRET
FUTURE EGRET
FM FCO 08170OZ APR 83
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 336 OF 8 APRIL
INFO PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)
FOR GOVERNOR FROM DONALD
MKK 03615
RAND LESS(PY NO. 51
12 APR 1983
MICEA
PA
1
REGISTRY
Action Tel
FUTURE EGRET:: YOUR TELNO 478 : POSSIBL VISIT TO LONDON BY EXCO
UNOFFICIALS
1. WE AGREE THAT THERE WOULD BE ADVANTAGES IN A VISIT OF THIS
KIND, AND WE SHALL SUBMIT TO MINISTERS ACCORDINGLY. HOWEVER, I
AM AFRAID WE CANNOT GET YOU AN ANSWER FOR 13 APRIL. THE PRIME
MINISTER, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, LORD BELSTEAD AND THE PUS ARE
ALL AWAY. SINCE THE SECRETARY OF STATE RETURNS ON 13 APRIL WE
WILL HOWEVER AIM TO SEND YOU A RESPONSE BY 20 APRIL.
2. AS FOR THE TIMING OF SUCH A VISIT, ASSUMING IT IS AGREED IN
PRINCIPLE, THIS TOO COULD WELL BE TRICKY. WE MAY WELL NOT GET
AN ANSWER TO THE PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE UNTIL LATE APRIL OR
MAY, AFTER ZHAO HAS RETURNED FROM AUSTRALASIA. IN THAT CASE
WE SHOULD NEED TO CONSIDER THE TIMING IN THE LIGHT OF THE
SUBSTANCE OF THE RESPONSE AND ANY FURTHER INFORMATION THEN
AVAILABLE ON A POSSIBLE CHINESE ANNOUNCEMENT. THE STATE OF PLAY
MIGHT ALSO AFFECT THE QUESTION OF THE SIZE OF THE VISITING EXCO
PARTY. FOR INSTANCE, IF SUBSTANTIVE TALKS WERE UNDER WAY, IT
MIGHT GIVE AN UNNECESSARILY ALARMING IMPRESSION IN HONG KONG AND
EVEN SEND THE WRONG SIGNALS TO PEKING IF YOU BROUGHT ALL THE UNOFF-
ICIALS OVER. BUT I CAN SEE THAT THERE WOULD BE DIFFICULTIES IN
EXCLUDING SOME PEOPLE.
PYM
NNNN
DIST LIMITED
HEAD HKGD
HEAD FED
MR DONALD
SECRET FUTURE EGRET
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