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FROM PEKING 140955Z DEC 84
TO IMMEDIATE FOO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2980 OF 14/12/84
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TOP COPY
HKK040/57
#GISTRY
17 DEC 1984
PA
REGISTRY
Acton Inxen
Xxx
350
(362)
MY SECOND IPT AND YOUR TEL NO 1550:
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT:
HONG KONG ATTENDANCE
1. SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED ABOUT ATTENDANCE DURING MY
CALL ON ZHOU NAN THIS MORNING. ALSO URGED
UPON ZHOU THE MERITS OF DELAYING THE CHARTER FLIGHT'S DEPARTURE UNTIL 1300 ON 18 DECEMBER AND REPEATED OUR REQUESTS
ABOUT TRANSPORT FOR OFFICIALS FROM AND TO HONG KONG.
I AKSED ZHOU FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF THOSE INVITED
AS OBSERVERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND PREFERABLY TODAY.
2. ZHOU SAID THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A COMPLETE LIST.
HE WOULD ENSURE THAT WE RECEIVED ONE AS SOON AS IT WAS
AVAILABLE.
HE COMMENTED THAT THERE SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN SOME CONFUSION
IN THE PAST FEW DAYS ABOUT THE LIST AND THAT HE HAD
EARLIER TOLD ME THAT THE CHINESE SIDE MIGHT WISH TO MAKE FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO THEIR LIST (MY TEL NO 2926). ANY SUCH AMENDMENTS
WOULD NOT BE MANY, BUT COULD INCLUDE SOME NEW NAMES EXPRESSED
SURPRISE AND SAID THAT WE WOULD WISH TO BE CONSULTED ABOUT ANY
NEW NAMES. H SAID THAT WE WOULD BE CONSULTED. I POINTED
OUT THAT TIME WAS GETTIN VERY SHORT.
·
3. ZHOU SAID HIS ESTIMATE WAS THAT ABOUT 130 NAMES WOULD APPEAR
ON THE LIST. THE MAJORITY OF INVITATIONS HAD ALREADY BEEN
ISSUED. THESE WERE TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS OVER WHOM NO
DISAGREEMENT HAD EXISTED. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT OF THOSE
INVITED BY YESTERDAY 15 HAD DECLINED AND 20 HAD NOT YET
REPLIED.
4. ZHOU UNDERTOOK TO PASS ON TO THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED
OUR VIEWS ABOUT THE DEPARTURE TIMING OF THE CHARTER
FLIGHT. SAID THAT DELAY UNTIL AT LEAST 1300 HOURS WAS IMPORTANT
TO US: THAT WAS WHY WAS SPEAKING TO HIM ABOUT IT. ZHOU
SAID THAT HE WOULD INFORM THE OFFICIALS CONCERNED
ABOUT OUR REQUEST FOR TRANSPORT FOR HONG KONG OFFICIALS.
HE WAS SURE THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEM IF SEATS WERE
AVAILALBE.
CONFIDENTIAL