AT THE INVITATION OF MR ZHAO ZIYANG, PREMIER OF THE STATE COUNCIL OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA, MRS MARGARET THATCHER, PRIME MINISTER
OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, WILL PAY AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO PEKING BETWEEN 18 AND 20 DECEMBER. (THE PRIME MINISTER WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE FOREIGN SECRETARY). THE MAIN PURPOSE OF HER VISIT (, SUBJECT TO THE OUTCOME OF THE DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT,) WILL BE TO SIGN THE JOINT DECLARATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG. (THE PRIME MINISTER WILL ALSO HOLD TALKS WITH CHINESE LEADERS).
THE PRIME MINISTER (AND FOREIGN SECRETARY)
WILL VISIT HONG KONG ON 20 AND 21 DECEMBER. (A COMP- RESSED VERSION OF THE SECOND AND THIRD SENTENCES
OF OUR PROPOSED ANNOUNCEMENT)''.
LUO MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
(A) PARA 1 SECOND SENTENCE : WE COULD INCLUDE THIS TOGETHER WITH THE REFERENCE TO YOU IN THE FIRST SENTENCE OF THE SECOND
PARAGRAPH IF WE CONSIDERED THIS TO BE NECESSARY.
HE WOULD LET US KNOW TOMORROW WHETHER HIS GOVERNMENT
COULD AGREE TO INCLUDE IT IN THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT.
(B) PARA 1 THIRD SENTENCE: REFERENCE TO THE PHRASE ''SUBJECT TO THE OUCEOM OF THE DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT''
CAUSED THE CHINESE SIDE CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY. IT WOULD NOT
BE APPROPRIATE FOR IT TO BE INCLUDED IN THEIR
ANNOUNCEMENT. HOWEVER, IF WE CONSIDERED ITS INCLUSION
NECESSARY IN THE BRITISH ANNOUNCHENT THE CHINESE
SIDE WOULD NOT OBJECT.
(C) PARA 1 FOURTH SENTENCE: LUO CONSIDERED THIS SELF EVIDENT.
(D) PARAGRAPH 2, SECOND AND THIRD SENTENCES: THE
CHINESE FIRST PREFERENCE WAS FOR THEIR DELETION,
THEIR SECOND PREFERENCE FOR COMPRESSION. THEY THEMSELVES HOWEVER
WOULD IN ANY CASE MAKE NO REFERENCE TO THE
HONG KONG VISIT IN THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT.
TIMING
4. THE STRONG CHINESE WISH IS FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO
BE MADE AT TOMORROW'S (28 NOVEMBER) WEEKLY MFA
PRESS BRIEFING. THIS NORMALLY TAKES PLACE AT 070OZ BUT THE
MFA ARE PREPARED TO POSTPONE IT UNTIL 09OOZ TO HELP US IN LONDON.
I STRESSED THAT OUR STRONG PREFERENCE WAS FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT
TO BE MADE ON 29 NOVEMBER.
HOWEVER EVEN AFTER CONSULTING THE DIRECTOR OF THE NFA'S
INFORMATION DEPARTMENT, LUO AND CHENG (INFORMATION
DEPARTMENT) CONTINUED TO RESIST THIS.
2
CONFIDENTIAL
/COMMENT