24-07-1990 17:18 HKGO LONDON 071 495 5033
44 71 495 5033 P.01
BY FAX
To : IC (Michael Lee!
From: Commissioner (London)
Date : 5 July 1990
Our Ref : LOT
2052
A total of 12 pages
VISIT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRAT UNION (IDU)
Sir James Spicer, MP, who is the Vice Chairman of the International Office of the Conservative Party, has advised us that the IDU is likely to decide, at its meeting to be held in Toronto some time next week, to hold a meeting of its Foreign Affairs Committee in Hong Kong, probably in November 1990. Sir James said he had ministerial support for this and hoped the HKG could arrange an appropriate 2-day visit programme for the delegates attending the IDU FAC meeting.
2
Background information on the IDU is in MIFF. You will see that the IDU is an organization of centre and centre-right political parties. The IDU FAC meeting will be a self-contained event with some 30-40 senior politicians from the member parties attending. In our view, if the meeting is indeed held in Hong Kong, it would provide a good opportunity for us to brief these senior politicians about Hong Kong and, hopefully, create a favourable impact on them. A 2-day visit programme would be an effective way of achieving this objective.
3 We understand that Sir James has also approached the London office of OMELCO. OMELCO office has told us that, after consulting Lady Dunn, they have advised Sir James that "OMELCO would be glad to have meetings in the normal way with these visitors".
4 Whilst we have not discussed any details with Sir James, we have not been negative in responding to his initial approach given our assessment in paragraph 2 above. We are working on the assumption that there is no financial commitment on our side other than those which might arise in connection with the visit programme as we do not anticipate sponsorship by the HKG.