GRS 200
CONFIDENTIAL
DD 14120OZ BOTH
CONFIDENTIAL
366
TOP COPY
FROM PEKING 14102OZ DEC 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
HKK 040/15
:
17 DEC 1934
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2988 OF 14/12/84
-
INDEX
PA
Action taken
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT:
POSSIBLE PRESS STATEMENT
1. ONE QUESTION WHICH WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED IS
WHETHER OR NOT SOME FORM OF JOINT PRESS STATEMENT
OR COMMUNIQUE SHOULD BE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE PRIME MINISTERS
VISIT TO PEKING.
2. DURING THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT IN SEPTEMBER 1982: THE SHORT
STATEMENT ON HONG KONG WAS ISSUED. SHORT PRESS STATEMENTS
WERE ISSUED AT THE END OF YOUR APRIL AND JULY VISITS
(MY TELNOS 59 AND 216 TO HONG KONG). THE PRIME MINISTER'S
VISIT WILL BE VERY SHORT. THERE WILL BE NO LACK OF SUBSTANCE
FOR THE PRESS TO REPORT AS SHE WILL BE MAKING SPEECHES AT THE
SIGNATURE CEREMONY AND THE BANQUET. SHE WILL ALSO BE MEETING THE
BRITISH PRESS IN PEKING (THE HONG KONG PRESS WILL BE BEING
BRIEFED SEPARATELY) AND GIVING A PRESS
CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG.
3. IN THE LIGHT OF THESE CONSIDERATIONS,
AND AS THE CHINESE HAVE SO FAR SAID NOTHING ABOUT A JOINT STATEMENT OR COMMUNIQUE. I AM INCLINED TO RECOMMEND AGAINST OUR PROPOSING
ONE, EITHER IN ADVANCE OF THE PRIME MINISTERS
ARRIVAL OR DURING HER VISIT. BUT ALSO RECOMMEND THAT
SOME THOUGHT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE POSSIBLE CONTENT
OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT, IN CASE THE CHINESE SHOULD
PROPOSE ONE AFTER ALL. THERE WILL BE LITTLE TIME FOR DRAFTING DURING THE VISIT ITSELF.
EVANS
WMITED
HKD
FED
REPEATED AS REQUESTED
NEWS DEPT.
PROTOCOL DEPT. MR WILSON
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO:
SIR P CRADOCK (2).
see
387