CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 180900Z FCO
TELNO 235
OF 18074OZ JANUARY 88
15
[ HUKB 011/2
Г. нкв
CONFIDENTIALS JAN 1988
155260
MDHIAN 3917
A
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
MY TELNO 75 : VISIT TO LONDON MY MARTIN LEE
1. MARTIN LEE RANG THE ACTING POLITICAL ADVISER LATE IN THE EVENING OF 15 JANUARY TO SAY THAT HE AND THE OTHER 4 MEMBERS OF HIS DELEGATION WISHED TO CALL ON BOTH THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND LORD GLENARTHUR. HE REBUTTED THE ARGUMENT THAT THE PRACTICE WAS FOR MINISTERS TO SEE PARLIAMENTARIANS ONLY. HE SAID THAT THE DELEGATION WOULD BE IN LONDON ''FOR THE SAME PERIOD AS LYDIA DUNN' AND WOULD BE STAYING AT THE HORSEGUARDS HOTEL,
2. MY ADVICE THAT MINISTERS SHOULD ONLY AGREE TO SEE MARTIN LEE ON HIS OWN STILL STANDS. HE IS CLEARLY TRYING TO EMBARRASS MINISTERS INTO BACKING DOWN AND SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN THIS SATISFACTION. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS JUST AN OPENING POSITION AND THAT HE WILL IN THE END AGREE TO COME ON HIS OWN IF HE IS OFFERED A MEETING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE. I STRONGLY ADVISED HIM TO ACT IN THIS WAY WHEN HE CALLED ON ME ON 6 JANUARY. HOWEVER, HE SAID YESTERDAY IN A RADIO INTERVIEW THAT HIS REQUEST TO CALL ON MINISTERS ''OF COURSE MEANT A CALL BY THE WHOLE GROUP, SO HE MAY HAVE BOXED
HIMSELF INTO A CORNER.
1 ·
3. IN WESTMINSTER TERMS I IMAGINE THAT THERE IS SOME DISADVANTAGE TO HMG IN MARTIN LEE BEING ABLE TO CLAIM THAT MINISTERS HAVE ''REFUSED'' TO SEE HIM. IF HE IS OFFERED A MEETING AND INSISTS THAT HE WILL NOT ATTEND UNLESS THE WHOLE GROUP ARE THERE, I SUGGEST OFFERING A MEETING FOR THE WHOLE DELEGATION WITH OFFICIALS (MCLAREN OR HUM), OR, AS A FINAL FACE-SAVER, WITH MRS BOTTOMLEY, WHO MET LEE WHEN SHE WAS HERE. IF THIS TOO IS TURNED DOWN THE RGOUP CAN HAVE NO GROUNDS FOR ALLEGING THAT HMG WERE UNWILLING TO LISTEN TO
THEIR VIEWS.
WILSON
YYYY