CONFIDENTIAL
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you
MKB 007/1
033445
MDLIAN 6340
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 590
OF 300253Z MARCH 88
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG
FOLLOWING FOR PS4LORD GLENARTHUR AND FED
(65
67
30/3
Y OUR TELNOS 262 AND 265: LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG
KONG
1. WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF A CALL ARRANGED TO DEAL WITH OTHER BUSINESS
ON 29 MARCH TO GO OVER THE MAIN POINTS IN SECOND TUR WITH WANG
Y IHAO, UK DIVISION CHIEF IN THE CHINESE MFA. WANG HAD ALREADY RECEIVED AN ACCURATE REPORT OF LORD GLENARTHUR'S PROPOSED DATES FROM
THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN LONDON, BUT WAS GRATEFUL FOR THE EXTRA DETAILS OF THE ACCOMPANYING PARTY. HE AGREED THAT FURTHER ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE VISIT SHOULD BE HANDLED BETWEEN HIS DEPARTMENT
AND THIS EMBASSY, AND UNDERTOOK AS THE NEXT STEP TO LET US KNOW AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE WHETHER THE DATES FOR THE PEKING LEG OF THE VISIT
WERE ACCEPTABLE IN PRINCIPLE TO ZHOU NAN.
2. WANG COMMENTED THAT THE END OF JUNE WOULD BE A BUSY TIME FOR HIS DEPARTMENT, SINCE THE PORTUGUESE FOREIGN MINISTER AND THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE SPANISH MFA WERE ALSO VISITING CHINA. BUT
HE DID NOT SUGGEST THIS NEED CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR LORD
G LENARTHUR'S VISIT. HE ASKED ABOUT LORD GLENARTHUR'S FURTHER TRAVEL
PLANS IN CHINA AND ABOUT OUR PROPOSALS FOR THE AGENDA. WE SAID WE
WOULD HOPE TO COME FORWARD WITH SUGGESTIONS ON THIS ONCE THE OUTLINE
DATES WERE AGREED: BUT THAT WE EXPECTED LORD GLENARTHUR WOULD WANT
TO COVER FOREIGN POLICY AND BILATERAL ISSUES, AS WELL AS HONG KONG AFFAIRS.
3. ON PARAGRAPH 3 OF FIRST TUR, WE CAN AT THE MOMENT SEE NO IMPORTANT CONFLICTING DEMANDS OR OTHER REASONS WHY MR DONALD SHOULD
NOT FEEL FREE TO ACCOMPANY LORD GLENARTHUR'S PARTY TO THE PROVINCES
(I ASSUME THAT IF HE DID SO HE WOULD NOT WISH TO JOIN THE HEADS OF
MISSION'S EXCURSION AT THE END OF MAY MY PERSONAL TELEGRAM NUMBER
537). THIS IS HOWEVER SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION OF THE DATES FOR THE VISIT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE STOCK EXCHANGE, CURRENTLY PROPOSED FOR EARLY OR MID-JUNE. IF MR DONALD COULD NOT GO WITH LORD GLENARTHUR, MY SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE MR INSALL (FIRST SECRETARY
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