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CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
Hic C 182 12
RECEIVED IN
0 20CT 1990
ni
TO DESKBY 14083OZ FCO
TELNO 2785
OF 140442Z SEPTEMBER 90
AND TO DESKBY 14060OZ PEKING
TOP COPY Q DIST?
35
013026
MDHIAN 8999
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREPJLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
(34)
PEKING TELNO 1276: PADS: EXPERT DISCUSSIONS
1. FOLLOWING ZHOU NAN'S PROPOSAL TO ME FOR EXPERT DISCUSSIONS ON PADS (MY TELNO 2765), JI PENGFEI HAS BEEN PROMINENTLY REPORTED IN THE HONG KONG PRESS AS TELLING A HONG KONG DELEGATION THAT CHINA WISHES TO INVITE BRITISH EXPERTS TO PEKING TO DISCUSS PADS WITH A VIEW TO CHINA REACHING A DECISION ON THE MATTER. WE ARE BEING PRESSED FOR OUR REACTION.
2. WE CAN SEE CONSIDERABLE ADVANTAGE IN RESPONDING POSITIVELY AND SWIFTLY TO THIS IDEA, BUT WE WOULD WANT THE CHINESE EXPERTS TO COME TO HONG KONG SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THE ACTUAL SITES INVOLVED. WE WOULD ALSO WANT TO PRESENT THEIR VISIT AS AN INVITATION TO SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING, RATHER THAN AS CONSULTATIONS LEADING TO A JOINT DECISION.
3 WE INTEND TO PUT THIS TO THE CHINESE TODAY SO THAT LORD CAITHNESS CAN REFER TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S INVITATION WHEN HE ARRIVES HERE TOMORROW. WE WILL THEREFORE BE CALLING IN NCNA THIS AFTERNOON AND WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF PEKING COULD TAKE PARALLEL ACTION WITH THE MFA. WITH NCNA WE WILL REFER TO MR MAUDE'S EXCHANGE WITH LI PENG, ZHOU'S REMARKS TO ME AND TO JI'S PUBLIC REMARKS AND SAY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE A GROUP OF CHINESE EXPERTS TO HONG KONG IN EARLY OCTOBER TO SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING ON THE AIRPORT AND TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS. WE WILL TELL NCNA THAT WE PLAN TO MAKE THIS INVITATION PUBLIC ON THE MORNING OF 15 SEPTEMBER.
WILSON
YYYY
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CONFIDENTIAL