CONFIDENTIAL
026
Q. DIS
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 16
OF 04170OZ JANUARY 88
HRB COO/ 020/1
15 JAN 1988
114175 MDHOAN 5903
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
YOUR TELNO 4875: YOUR VISIT TO LONDON
1.
I AM SORRY NOT TO HAVE REPLIED SOONER TO YOUR TELEGRAM,
WHICH WAS OF COURSE TO SOME EXTENT OVERTAKEN BY DEVELOPMENTS ON THE TIMING OF THE WU VISIT. BEFORE DOING SO I WANTED TO TRY TO GET A CLEAR STEER ON TIMING FROM THE PRIVATE OFFICES OF BOTH THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND LORD GLENARTHUR.
2. IN OUR SUBSEQUENT TELEPHONE CONVERSATION YOU INDICATED THAT YOU WERE NOW THINKING IN TERMS OF A VISIT AT THE END OF MARCH/ EARLY APRIL. ON THAT BASIS I HAVE TAKEN SOME PRELIMINARY AND VERY INFORMAL SOUNDINGS HERE. THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL BE IN LONDON AND HAS A REASONABLY CLEAR PROGRAMME IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 28 MARCH. BUT HE WILL BE ABROAD FROM 1-12 APRIL (IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA). LORD GLENARTHUR ALSO EXPECTS AT PRESENT TO BE IN LONDON IN THE WEEK OF 28 MARCH CHAVING JUST RETURNED FROM AN OVERSEAS TRIP). HE TOO MIGHT WELL BE AWAY FROM THE OFFICE IN THE FIRST WEEK OF
APRIL.
3
ALL THIS SUGGESTS THAT YOU MIGHT WISH TO AIM FOR A VISIT IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 28 MARCH. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AGAIN ON THIS AS YOUR PLANS BEGIN TO FIRM UP.
HOWE
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ΜΑΙΝ
LIMITED
HD/HKD-
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10
DISTRIBUTION
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MR MCLAREN
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL