SECRET
HKK 02727 Belg
DD 24010OZ HONG KONG
GRS 272
SECRET
DESKBY 240100Z
FM FCO 231700Z NOV 83
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1244 OF 23 NOVEMBER
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR AND AMBASADOR
VISITS BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE
INDEX
2 4 NOV 1983
1. CONSIDERATION IS NOW BEING GIVEN TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S PROGRAMME OF OVERSEAS VISITS NEXT YEAR.
2. WHERE VISITS TO HONG KONG AND PEKING ARE CONCERNED, WE ARE PROPOSING, SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, TO RECOMMEND AS FOLLOWS: (A) SO LONG AS THE PRESENT PHASE OF NEGOTIATIONS ON THE FUTURE IS CONTINUING, A 'ROUTINE' VISIT TO PEKING CANNOT BE ENVISAGED. A VISIT WOULD INEVITABLY BE SEEN AS CONNECTED WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS, BOTH BY THE CHINESE AND BY PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG KONG. BOTH WOULD ANTICIPATE A NEW INITIATIVE.
(B) A CONFIDENCE-BOOSTING VISIT TO HONG KONG WILL BE NECESSARY NOT LATER THAN JUNE 1984. IT MIGHT WELL BE FITTED IN AS PART OFTHE TOUR WHICH INCLUDES VISITS TO JAPAN AND KOREA, PROVISIONALLY PLANNED FOR THE EASTER RECESS. (THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE REASONS CONNECTED WITH THE TALKS WHY SUCH A VISIT MIGHT TURN OUT NOT TO BE ADVISABLE AT THAT TIME. IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT NOT TO ANNOUNCE SUCH A VISIT AND THEN BE FORCED TO CANCEL IT. A FINAL DECISION SHOULD THEREFORE BE DELAYED FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE).
(C) DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TALKS MIGHT AT ANY STAGE MAKE IT NECESSARY FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO TRAVEL TO PEKING AND/OR
HONG KONG AT MUCH SHORTER NOTICE.
3. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION WOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS WHICH YOU EXPRESSED EARLIER THIS YEAR, CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TALKS. GRATEFUL FOR
YOUR COMMENTS DESKBY 240930Z.
HOWE
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DISTRIBUTION
LIMITED
HKD
FED
MR DONALD
SECRET
See 16
See (19)
See 20