GRS 300
CONFIDENT HAL
DESKBY 13153OZ BOTH
CONFIDENTIALTOP COPY
FROM PEKING 131429Z DEC 34
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2973 OF 13/12/84
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
MKK040/57
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
13 DEC 1934
DESK OFFICER
(ADEX
PA
RECUITRY
Action Taken
J
3341
HONG KONG TELNO 3780: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT: HONG KONG ATTENDANCE
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see
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1. HAVE ONLY JUST SEEN THE GOVERNOR'S TELEGRAM, HAVING BEEN WITH LI PENG AT THE BRITISH STAND AT AN AEROSPACE EXHIBITION.
2. I AM QUITE PREPARED TO BE ROBUST WITH ZHOU MAN. THE SUBSTANCE OF THE MATTER APART, HE HAD NO RIGHT TO AUTHORISE THE HONG KONG AND MACAO OFFICE TO INSTRUCT THE NCNA IN HONG KONG TO ISSUE INVITATIONS TO ALL THOSE ON THE SECOND (FULL) CHINESE LIST BEFORE THE EMBASSY HAD HAD TIME TO COMMENT ON IT. WHEN SPEAKING TO HIM ON 7 DECEMBER, I WAS CAREFUL TO CONFINE MY (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) NIHIL OBSTAT TO THE NAMES ON THE FIRST CHINESE LIST. HE EXPLICITLY ASKED FOR EARLY COMMENTS OR OBSERVATIONS ON THE FULL LIST.
3. 1 RECOMMEND THAT I SHOULD BE INSTRUCTED TO SPEAK TO ZHOU TOMORROW ABOUT THE GROUPING OF THE OBSERVERS, MAKING IT CLEAR THAT WE WOULD EXPECT ALL MEMBERS OF EXCO TO BE IN THE FRONT RANK AND ALL MEMBERS OF LEGCO TO BE PLACED AHEAD OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR. (I WONDER WHETHER IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR ME TO SUGGEST AT THIS STAGE THAT EACH SIDE SHOULD NOMINATE AN EQUAL NUMBER OF PERSONS FOR THE FRONT RANK. THIS COULD ENTAIL A FURTHER ROUND OF EXCHANGES ON THE EVE OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT.)
4. ALSO RECOMMEND THAT SHOULD BE INSTRUCTED TO:
(A) PRESS ZHOU ABOUT THE TIME OF THE DEPARTURE OF THE CHARTER FLIGHT FROM HONG KONG ON 18 DECEMBER,
(B) PRESS HIM FOR A COMPLETE NAME LIST ON 14 DECEMBER OF THOSE INVITED TO COME TO PEKING AS OBSERVERS, AND
CONFIDENTIAL
/ (C) SAY