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CONFIDENTIAL
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TOP COPY Q DIST?
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 14003OZ PEKING
TELNO 629
OF 13170OZ JUNE 91
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
YOUR TELNO 873' (NOT REPEATED): HONG KONG MINISTERIAL MEETINGS
1.
WE SHOULD PREFER YOU NOT TO TELL THE MFA ABOUT THIS MEETING FOR THE TIME BEING. WE AGREE THAT IF YOU DO SO IT MIGHT EXPEDITE A CHINESE REPLY TO THE PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND IT MIGHT ONLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO SIT TIGHT. LET US LEAVE THEM TO STEW FOR A LITTLE. OF COURSE THE MFA MAY GET WIND OF YOUR TRAVEL PLANS AND ASSUME THAT YOU ARE RETURNING FOR AIRPORT RELATED CONSULTATIONS, BUT WE WISH TO AVOID GIVING ANY IMPRESSION THAT WE ARE RUNNING AFTER THEM.
2.
WE COULD REVIEW THE POSITION ON 18-19 JUNE WHEN WE MAY KNOW WHETHER YOUR CALLS HAVE BEEN ARRANGED ON THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER AND LU PING. WE CAN THEN ALSO CONSIDER THE PRESS
ANGLE.
HURD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
30
LIMITED
HKD
FED
PS
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
30
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/PUS
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL