dti
the department for Enterprise
A J Hunt Esq
Assistant Secretary
European & General Division
Department of Transport
Room S10/02
2 Marsham Street
LONDON SW1P 3EB
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DESK INDEX
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Department of Trade and Industry
1-19 Victoria Street London SWIH OET
Enquiries
071-215 5000
Telex 8811074/5 DTHQ G
Fax 071-222 2629
Direct line
Our ref
Your ref
Date
071 215 5374
19 October 1990
Dear John.
MINISTERIAL VISITS TO HONG KONG
Марсдей Miss Marsden 7/10 Mr Morgh 25/10 Ms Haneycks10 dr Hague W 230
25/10
We discussed Mr Parkinson's proposed visit to Hong Kong in January and I agreed to write to you to set out the considerations which we have in mind.
2. Our main concern is to organise the level and frequency of Ministerial lobbying which will be most effective in securing positive decisions by the Hong Kong authorities in favour of British firms seeking business from the airport/ports project. In this connection, Mr Parkinson's interest, as the Cabinet Minister most directly involved in transport matters, is very welcome (as the Senior British Trade Commissioner in Hong Kong, Peter Heap, has recognised in his comments to you). Mr Lilley has also had a visit to Hong Kong in January in his diary since he took office in July; by general agreement the main purpose of that visit is also to lobby for the airport project.
3. We thought that it would be sensible, and indeed essential, to review these two proposals, and our overall strategy for Ministerial lobbying on this issue in Hong Kong next year, in the light of the visit by Mr Sainsbury, the Minister for Trade, at the end of last month. That visit went well and the Governor responded quite positively to our main lobbying points. However, it was abundantly clear that we would have to pace our future lobbying very carefully if it was not to become counter-productive.
4. We have discussed this with the projects division of this Department, who take the lead within Whitehall on the airport project (Richard Rogers, my counterpart there, accompanied Tim Sainsbury on his recent visit) and with Andrew Burns, the Superintending Under Secretary in the FCO and his colleagues
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