CONFIDENTIAL
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Western European Department
23 April 1986
From:
30 APR 1986
Date:
cc:
Mr Hum, HKD
AGB
Mr Ratford
Mr Masefield, FED
Mr Ford, ECD(I)
Miss Bailes, Planning Staff
Mr. Cleghorn, Defence Dept
SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING WITH THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER ON 23 MAY
Problem
1. What other meeting should the Secretary of State undertake as cover for his meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister.
Recommendation
2.
I recommend seeking a call on the Belgian Prime Minister, Mr Martens.
ECD(I) agree.
Background
3. Mr Culshaw's minutes of 9 and 14 April. I had earlier suggested
to FED that the Secretary of State might seek a meeting with Mr Martens
or possibly the Foreign Minister, Mr Tindemans, as cover for his meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister. A meeting with the Belgians could
be as effective for cover purposes as a meeting with Lord Carrington
and could be intrinsically useful in view of the Belgian Presidency
of the Community which follows our own. I am confident that this
proposal would have Mr Petrie's full support. I notice from Sir David
Hannay's letter of 21 April to Mr Lavelle at the Treasury that there is
a need for an early effort to try and tie Belgium into the "Northern"
camp for the coming Community budget meetings.
1. In view of the tremendous frequency of meetings between EC Foreign
Ministers I hesitate to push for a bilateral with Tindemans. Subject
/to
CONFIDENTIAL