CONFIDENTIAL
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1441 OF 23 NOVEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG DESKBY 24010OZ
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1666 1
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HKK
040/57.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
2 6 NOV 1984
DESFICER
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YOUR TELNO 2821: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT:
ANNOUNCEMENT
1. WE ARE THINKING IN TERMS OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE FOLLOWING
LINES:
'AT THE INVITATION OF PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG THE PRIME MINISTER WILL
VISIT PEKING BETWEEN 18 AND 20 DECEMBER. SHE 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 AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS ON THE
FUTURE OF HONG KONG. MRS THATCHER WILL ALSO HOLD TALKS WITH
CHINESE LEADERS.
THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE FOREIGN SECRETARY WILL THEN VISIT HONG
KONG ON 20 AND 21 DECEMBER. SHE WILL HOLD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE
GOVERNOR, ADDRESS A JOINT MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE AND
LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS AND MEET MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG
COMMUNITY',
2.
PROVIDED THAT YOU AND THE GOVERNOR ARE CONTENT WITH THE TEXT
YOU SHOULD PASS IT TO THE CHINESE MFA. YOU SHOULD SAY THAT WE
ARE LIKELY TO ANNOUNCE THE VISIT TO WASHINGTON AT THE SAME TIME.
TIMING IS TO SOME EXTENT DEPENDENT ON AGREEMENT WITH THE AMERICANS, BUT WE ARE AIMING AT WEDNESDAY 28 NOVEMBER, AS SUGGESTED BY THE CHINESE. WE HOPE TO CONFIRM THIS AND THE TEXT
EARLY NEXT WEEK.
3. WE HAVE JUST SEEN HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 3589. WE SUGGEST
THAT HONG KONG MIGHT DISCREETLY TAKE THE LINE THAT IT WOULD
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