151
GPS 650
CONFIDENTIAL
DD 27093OZ
(BOTH )
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM PEKING 27100OZ NOV 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2826 OF 27/11/84
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
HKK 040/57.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
2 8 NOV 1984
VESK OFFICER
INDEX
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YOUR TEL N O 1445:
FUTURE OF HONG KONG:
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT: ANNOUNCEMENT
1. I TOOK ACTION WITH LUO JIAHUAN THIS
AFTERNOON AS INSTRUCTED IN YOUR TUR.
TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT
2. AFTER CONSULTING ZHOU NAN, LUO SAID THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD PREFER A SHORTER AND MORE FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT. THEIR
FIRST PREFERENCE WOULD BE:
''AT THE INVITATION OF MR ZHAO ZIYANG, PREMIER
OF THE STATE COUNCIL OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA, MPS MARGARET THATCHER, PRIME MINISTER OF
UNITED KINGDOM, WILL PAY AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO PEKING BETWEEN 18 AND 20 DECEMBER
•
THE CHINESE ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD CONTAIN NO REFERENCE TO THE HONG KONG VISIT, BUT THEIR PREFERRED FORMULA FOR OUR ANNOUNCEMENT WAS RESTRICTION TO:
** THE PRIME MINISTER WILL VISIT HONG KONG ON
20 TO 21 DECEMBER.''
31 POINTED OUT THAT THE PRIME MINISTER WOULD PROBABLY
WISH IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO STATE THE
PURPOSES OF HER VISIT BOTH TO PEKING AND TO HONG KONG. I ADDED THAT I BELIEVED IT WAS ALSO NORMAL PRACTICE FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION TO BE REFERRED TO IN SUCH AN ANNOUNCEMENT. THESE COMMENTS WERE BROADLY CONVERED IN THE CHINESE SECOND PREFERENCE WHICH
LUO THEN PUT FORWARD:
CONFIDENTIAL
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