CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1789
OF 270632Z DECEMBER 90
CONFIDENTIAL
R1~
Mis Marden
@ MS
M<
Mays or. Menity 31/12
Mr
2 fur Hague
+ pa.
S/C
27/12
AND TO IMMEDIATE OVERSEAS TRADE DIVISION DTI
;) cc (
CC
AM!)
026/46
044223-
MDHIAN 5690
psilardi Caithness
Mr McLaren
The Burns
MKB 026/6
FCO FOR FED
DTI FOR GALLAGHER PEP 1B
RECE
VISIT BY LORD BRABAZON
-
-
REGISTRY
4 JAN 1991
ii) beach time
AS
1 FURTHER TO MY TELNO 1779 WE WOULD WELCOME A VISIT BY LORD BRABAZON BEGINNING MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY PROVIDED THE ECGD PMS ISSUE IS RESOLVED IN FAVOUR OF CHINA BEFORE THEN. A VISIT TO PROMOTE TRADE WOULD BE POINTLESS OTHERWISE.
2. WE ASSUME YOU ARE DEVELOPING AN OVERALL STRATEGY FOR HIGH LEVEL VISITS TO CHINA IN THE COMING YEAR AROUND THE PLANNED VISIT BY THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY. FOR OUR PART, WE FEEL THE PROPOSED DATES ARE WELL ENOUGH AHEAD OF THOSE MOOTED FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT, AND LORD BRABAZON IS NOT A CABINET MINISTER. HIS VISIT WOULD PLAY A USEFUL ROLE IN KEEPING ABREAST OF OUR EC AND OTHER COMPETITORS IN THE MINISTERIAL VISIT STAKES. MY MAIN ANXIETY HAS BEEN THAT OUR VISIT PROGRAMME IS PROPERLY COORDINATED.
3.
THE VISIT WOULD NEED CAREFUL HANDLING PARTICULARLY AS REGARDS:
(A) HONG KONG'S, PORT AND AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY ON WHICH LORD BRABAZON WILL NEED BRIEFING WITH INPUT FROM HKG.
(B) UK/PRC AIR SERVICES WHERE THE MINISTER COULD HELP GENERATE MOMENTUM FOLLOWING RECENT INDICATIONS THAT CAAC HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE A MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDE TO OUR BILATERAL AIR LINKS.
(C)
THE SEPARATED AIR SERVICE AGREEMENTS PROGRAMME FOR HONG
KONG. WE SHOULD NEED TO CONSIDER NEARER THE TIME WHETHER LORD BRABAZON SHOULD RAISE THIS WITH CAAC.
(D) THE ON-GOING SAGA OF UK/TAIWAN AIR SERVICES ON WHICH THE MINISTER WILL NEED DEFENSIVE BRIEFING.
1
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL