CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 27
OF 05170OZ JANUARY 88
CONFIDENTIAL
& DIST FOOY
117330
MDHOAN 5982
FKB 007/ 027
15 JAN 1988
FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HUM HKD
YOUR TELNO 28: MR EGGAR: VISIT TO HONG KONG
1. I UNDERSTAND THAT MR EGGAR HAS VISITED HONG KONG PRIVATELY ON
THREE OCCASIONS, MOST RECENTLY IN ABOUT 1984. HE THEREFORE KNOWS
THE TERRITORY RATHER BETTER THAN YOU HAD BEEN LED TO BELIEVE.
2. IN PRINCIPLE THERE WOULD CLEARLY BE ADVANTAGE IN BRINGING HIS
KNOWLEDGE UP TO DATE. BUT THE SOUNDINGS WHICH WE HAVE TAKEN HERE
LEAD US TO CONCLUDE THAT THE TIME WOULD NOT YET BE RIGHT FOR A
VISIT. MR EGGAR'S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HONG KONG ARE
RELATIVELY INFREQUENT PARLIAMENTARY ONES. IT IS FELT HERE (AND
YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE SENSITIVITIES) THAT OUR PRIORITY SHOULD BE
TO ESTABLISH LORD GLENARTHUR FIRMLY IN PUBLIC EYES AS THE FCO
MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG. STRICTLY FOR YOUR OWN
INFORMATION, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT HE MIGHT STOP OVER IN HONG KONG IN LATE FEBRUARY (FOR DINNER, AN OVERNIGHT STAY AND PERHAPS A MORNING MEETING) ON THE WAY TO THE INAUGURATION OF THE
KOREAN PRESIDENT. FURTHER AHEAD HE IS PLANNING A SUBSTANTIVE
VISIT IN MAY OR EARLY JUNE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A VISIT TO CHINA. THE SECRETARY OF STATE, AS YOU KNOW, WOULD ALSO LIKE TO VISIT HONG KONG SOME TIME IN THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
3. WHERE THIS MONTH'S DEBATE IS CONCERNED, THE KEY GOVERNMENT STATEMENT WILL OF COURSE BE THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OPENING
SPEECH. HE PLANS TO STAY FOR AS MUCH OF THE DEBATE AS HE CAN. MR EGGAR'S WIND-UP SPEECH WILL BE ON THE BASIS OF BRIEFING AGREED
BY MINISTERS IN ADVANCE.
HOWE
YYYY
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CONFIDENTIAL