CONFIDENTIAL
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HRB OQ7H
LL
1 FEB 1988
022023
MDLOAN 0716
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 268
OF 29170OZ JANUARY 88
AND TO PRIORITY PEKING
€25
YOUR TELNO 403: LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG: IMPLICATIONS FOR JLGX
1.
·
IMING OF LORD
WE APPRECIATE THAT THE PROPOSED GLENARTHUR'S VISIT HAS A BEARING ON THE TIMING OF JLGX. WE ARE CONSTRAINED IN THIS RESPECT BY THE FACT THAT FOR REASONS CONNECTED WITH THE PARLIAMENTARY TIMETABLE LORD GLENARTHUR CAN ONLY UNDERTAKE THIS VISIT IN THE SECOND HALF OF JUNE. MCLAREN WILL ACCOMPANY HIM.
2.
IN IDENTIFYING SUITABLE DATES FOR JLGX IN LONDON THEREFORE, WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS: EARLY JUNE (TO AVOID CLASHING WITH LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT) OR EARLY JULY.
3.
TO HOLD JLGX IN EARLY JUNE IN LONDON WOULD FIT IN WITH OUR OVERALL STRATEGY FOR MEETINGS IN 1988.THERE COULD STILL BE PROBLEMS IN PERSUADING THE CHINESE TO TRAVEL TO LONDON AT THAT TIME WITH THE JLG SO CLOSE TO ACQUIRING ITS PRINCIPAL BASE IN HONG KONG. BUT IT WILL CERTAINLY BE EASIER TO PERSUADE THEM TO COME TO LONDON IN JUNE THAN IT WOULD BE IN JULY. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, MCLAREN WOULD BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER A SHORT, LIMITED MEETING, PROBABLY NOT (NOT) ATTENDED BY ALL FIVE REPRESENTATIVES, IN HONG KONG IN EARLY JULY IF THAT WAS NECASSARY TO PERSUADE THE CHINESE TO AGREE TO JLGX BEING HELD IN LONDON.
4.
TO HOLD JLGX IN LONDON IN EARLY JULY WOULD POSE A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS. A JLG PLENARY MEETING IN LONDON SO SOON AFTER THE JLG TAKES HONG KONG AS ITS QUOTE PRINCIPAL BASE UNQUOTE ON 1 JULY WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN IN PRESENTATIONAL TERMS. MOREOVER THE CHINESE ARE MOST UNLIKELY TO AGREE. IN ADDITION THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH MCLAREN'S AVAILABILITY IN JULY: IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO MAKE ANY EXTENDED TRIP ABROAD DURING THAT MONTH.
5.
WE HAVE TO CONCLUDE THAT WE SHOULD AIM TO HOLD JLGX IN LONDON IN THE FIRST HALF OF JUNE. WE APPRECIATE THAT THIS WILL PLACE BOTH SIDES UNDER PRESSURE IN PREPARING ANOTHER PLENARY ONLY THREE MONTHS AFTER JLGIX. BUT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE ARE AFRAID THIS SEEMS THE ONLY REALISTIC OPTION.
6.
WE AGREE (PARA 15 OF YOUR TELNO 419, ON THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH WE SHALL BE COMMENTING SEPARATELY NEXT WEEK) THAT IT WOULD
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