Sir W Harding
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM:
A E Donald
DATE:
27 January 1984
CC:
PS/PUS Head/FED Head HKD
POLITICAL DIRECTOR: CONSULTATIONS IN 1984
1.
Sir J Bullard's minute of 23 January: possible visit to China.
2. Sir J Bullard has asked if you and I think it will be useful for him to go to Peking during 1984, or later, for talks on a range of subjects not including Hong Kong.
3. I would advise against a visit while the confidential talks on Hong Kong are taking place. It would be impossible to conceal the fact that Sir Julian was in Peking and my concern would be that expectations might arise or false deductions might be made in Hong Kong. Briefing that he was not discussing Hong Kong would not be sufficient to quieten the fertile Cantonese imagination.
4.
I would prefer it if Sir Julian thought in terms of very late in 1984 providing that we had reached agreement with the Chinese about the future of Hong Kong and if we had not to bring up the subject again early in 1985.
PA atco offrails
Pfeil
& those
Mr. Mum
30 ملی
Astmeld
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A E Donald
HICK 027114.
RECE
31 JAN 1984
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