H.E.: WELL, WE HAVEN'T YET REACHED THAT POINT. I THINK ALL THAT HAS
HAPPENED SO FAR, THE ONLY STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN MADE IS THE
OPENING OF THE NEW AND SECOND PHASE, SO WE HAVEN'T YET
REACHED THAT POINT AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO SPECULATE ON WHEN WE
WOULD.
****
QUESTION: HOW LONG WILL THE SECOND ROUND OF TALKS LAST AND AT THE
END OF THE TALKS WILL THERE BE ANY ANNOUNCEMENT MADE?
H.E.: I CAN'T PREDICT THAT AT THE PRESENT MOMENT, WE'RE ONLY
JUST STARTING THEM ON TUESDAY, SO I THINK IT WOULD BE FOOLISH OF
ME TO PREDICT HOW LONG THE NEXT PHASE WOULD LAST.
QUESTION: THE TALKS ARE ONLY FOR ONE DAY, RIGHT?
H.E.: NO, NO, IT ISN'T ONLY A ONE-DAY EVENT, THAT IS THE BEGINNING
OF THE NEW PHASE AND I WOULD EXPECT TO BE GOING FROM TIME TO TIME.
QUESTION: IS THE PROBLEM OF FINDING AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION AS
DIFFICULT AS IT EVER WAS SIR EDWARD, OR DO BOTH SIDES NOW HAVE A
MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER'S POSITION?
H.E.: | THINK THAT DURING THE FIRST PHASE EACH SIDE HAS ACHIEVED
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER'S POSITION. I THINK THE LAST
FEW QUESTIONS, PLEASE.
QUESTION: DO YOU KNOW WHETHER MRS THATCHER MAY LATER THIS YEAR
VISIT BEJING AND WHEN, AND WHETHER RICHARD LUCE WILL BE JOINING
THE TALKS UP THERE?
H.E.: I'M NOT EXPECTING A VISIT BY THE PRIME MINISTER TO PEKING.
RICHARD LUCE SAID IN HIS MESSAGE TO US THAT HE WAS HOPING TO COME
EARLY AND WE'VE HAD A TALK WITH HIM ABOUT WHEN HE MIGHT COME,
AND I THINK HE'LL BE WITH US PROBABLY IN THE EARLY AUTUMN.
QUESTION: IT IS SAID THAT YOU ARE GOING TO MEET WITH STU JHA DUN(?)
BEFORE LEAVING FOR PEKING, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WILL
BE TALKING WITH HIM ABOUT AT THAT TIME?
H.E.: WELL, SINCE I'M LEAVING ON MONDAY THERE ISN'T VERY MUCH TIME.
WE MIGHT GET IN A COURTESY CALL, BUT I WOULDN'T EXPECT TO HAVE A
SUBSTANTIVE MEEING BEFORE I GO, BUT I WOULD OF COURSE BE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HIM AT SOME LATER STAGE AFTER I GET BACK FROM PEKING . YOUDE
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HD/FED
MR BURROWS
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MR MARTIN
PS
HD/PUSD
PS/LADY YOUNG
MR FLOWER
MR COLES
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
MR WRIGHT
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SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER
LEGAL ADVISERS
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
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NO 10 DOWNING ST
SIR A PARSONS
MR WALKER,
11
RESEARCH DEPT (90995)
MR ROBERTS NEWS D