Mr Burns
PS/Lord Caithness
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HONG KONG ATTACHE IN PEKING
FROM:
DATE:
Cc:
A R Paul
Hong Kong Department
20 December 1990
Private Secretary
Mr McLaren
Mr Davies, FED
A 1. Lord Caithness has asked for comments on the suggestion
of Lord Young that there should be an officer, either from London or the Hong Kong Government, based in Peking with the task of explaining to the Chinese Government at every stage developments on PADS.
2. I certainly do not think that it would be appropriate for anyone based in London to take on such a role the project is after all the responsibility of the Hong Kong
Government, not HMG.
3. Nor do I see much point in sending someone from Hong Kong to live in Peking to fulfil such a task. An effective channel of communication already exists to provide the Chinese with all the information they require, namely the expert group which met in Hong Kong in November and which will travel to Peking for talks on 10/11 January. In addition, the Political Adviser in Hong Kong is in close touch with the NCNA; and the Embassy in Peking is in virtually daily contact with the MFA.
BAGAEJ/1
CC
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