CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
32
172265
MDHIAN 2449
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 515
OF 170908Z MARCH 88
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
YOUR TELNO.235
31
MIGA.
НК С 102
REGIST.
17 MAR 1988
' [
PA
1. RIORDAN TOOK ACTION AS INSTRUCTED IN TUR WITH WANG WEIYANG ON 17TH MARCH.
2. WANG REPLIED THAT HE WAS AWARE THE 40 DAY CONSULTATION PERIOD AND
THE DATE ON WHICH IT ENDED (21 MARCH). HE HOPED THAT THE CHINESE
SIDE WO9ULD BE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR RESPONSE BEFORE THAT DEADLINE. HE
UNDERTOOK TO PRESS HIS LEADERS AND 'THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS'' TO
HURRY ALONG THE PROCESS OF CONSIDERATION OF OUR PROPOSALS.
COMMENT:
1
3. IT SEEMS, FROM HIS RESPONSE TO OUR AP8PROACH, THAT WANG HAD INDEED NOT LOST SIGHT OF THE 21 MARCH DEADLINE. ALTHOUGH A RESPONSE BY 21 MARCH WOULD BE IDEAL, WE THINK THAT THE CHINESE WILL PROBABLY OVERRUN THE DEADLINE BY A FEW DAYS, IN VIEW OF THE ABSENCE OF SENIOR
HKMAO OFFICIALS IN HONG KONG FOR JLG IX AND SUBSEQUENT TALKS. WE
THINK WE SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ACCOMMODATE THE CHINESE ON THIS IF
NECESSARY, WHILE CONTINUING TO KEEP UP PRESSURE ON THE MFA TO RESPOND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
EVANS
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
50
ΜΑΙΝ
49
HONG KONG AGREEMENT RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH (FE)
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR MCLAREN
MR GILLMORE
PUSD
ADDITIONAL
1
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS