CONFIDENTIAL
004
MDLIAN 1
CHINA: SOME OF THE IDEAS RECORDED IN FCO TELNO 280 TO YOU AND YOUR TELNO 471 ARE RELEVANT HERE: AND A MODEL 2 VISIT MIGHT HAVE ATTRACTIONS FOR THOSE IN THE CANADIAN BUREAUCRACY INCLINED TO THINK
ON THOSE LINES.
5.
IF WE WERE TO FOLLOW A MODEL 2 APPROACH, IT WOULD PROBABLY MAKE MORE SENSE FOR YOU TO STAY AT RIDEAU GATE RATHER THAN AT EARNSCLIFFE. (THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT USE RIDEAU GATE FOR SENIOR MINISTERIAL VISITORS, AND IT IS FOR EXAMPLE WHERE LORD CARRINGTON USED TO STAY WHEN HE CAME TO OTTAWA AS SECRETARY-GENERAL OF NATO.) IT WOULD PROBABLY ALSO FOLLOW THAT I SHOULD NOT INVOLVE MYSELF IN YOUR CALLS IN OTTAWA (THOUGH WE COULD PERHAPS GIVE FURTHER THOUGHT TO WHETHER IT MIGHT NEVERTHELESS BE USEFUL FOR YOU TO BE ACCOMPANIED ON AT LEAST SOME OF THEM BY A MEMBER OF MY STAFF). AND THE POLICY OF KEEPING THE BRITISH THUMB OUT OF THE TEST-TUBE MIGHT ALSO SUGGEST THAT YOU YOURSELF SHOULD OFFER TO HOST A WORKING MEAL, INCLUDING CANADIAN OFFICIALS AND PERHAPS SOME JOURNALISTS, IN A PRIVATE ROOM AT A RESTAURANT OR CLUB.
6. I AM NOT TRYING TO PUSH YOU TOWARDS MODEL 2, BUT YOU MAY WISH TO REFLECT ON THE PROS ANDS CONS OF THE ALTERNATIVES FROM THE HONG KONG POINT OF VIEW. SUBJECT TO ROBIN MCLAREN'S VIEWS, I WOULD NOT SEE ANY PARTICULAR PROBLEMS FOR HMG WERE YOU TO DECIDE TO EXPERIMENT WITH MODEL 2, BUT I WOULD LIKE A CHANCE TO SOUND OUT INFORMALLY ONE OR TWO SENIOR PEOPLE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE IDEA WAS BOTH UNDERSTOOD AND WELCOME OUTSIDE THE CIRCLE OF DEA SPECIALISTS.
7.
I SHALL BE LEAVING HERE FOR A FEW WEEKS OF DUTY TOUR AND LEAVE IN LONDON ON 10 MARCH, AND I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR AN INDICATION OF YOUR PREFERENCE IN TIME FOR US TO REACH A DECISION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER BEFORE THEN. IF WE DECIDED TO GO FOR A TRADITIONAL APPROACH, I DONT THINK THAT THE CANADIANS WOULD BE EITHER SUPRISED OR OFFENDED, AND ALL THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY WOULD BE FOR US TO GIVE THEM A FIRM STEER. IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU SAW ATTRACTION IN MODEL 2 I WOULD NEED A LITTLE MORE TIME FOR THE SOUNDINGS SUGGESTED ABOVE. IF IT TURNED OUT THAT THE CANADIAN PREFERENCE WAS FOR MODEL 2, I MIGHT WELL DECIDE TO STICK TO MY ORIGINAL PLANS FOR MY VISIT TO WESTERN CANADA: I DO NOT THINK THAT MODEL 2 WOULD LEAD TO SILLY STORIES IN THE PRESS, BUT IT WOULD BE MARGINALLY MORE LIKELY TO DO SO IF I WERE IN TOWN AT THE TIME AND NOT MUCH INVOLVED IN YOUR VISIT.
8. IN SHORT, IT IS VERY MUCH UP TO YOU TO DECIDE WHICH WAY WE SHOULD TRY TO STEER THE CANADIANS. MODEL 1 WOULD BE FUN FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, BUT MODEL 2 MIGHT END UP BY REFRESHING PARTS OF THE CANADIAN
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