59
می کی
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1140
OF 14190OZ JUNE 91
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 182/4-
20 JUN1991
LE J
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
158 1907:
YOUR TELNO 1907: AIRPORT TALKS: PRESS
153642 MDHOAN 5513
Ado do!
1.
WE WOULD BE HAPPY FOR PEKING TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO SET THE RECORD THE STRAIGHT BY BACKGROUND BRIEFING ON THE LINES ALREADY AGREED. BUT WE REMAIN RELUCTANT AT THIS STAGE TO BE DRAWN INTO A CYCLE OF BRIEFING AND COUNTER-BRIEFING IE DIALOGUE THROUGH THE PRESS. WE SHOULD PREFER MR MCLAREN TO TACKLE LU PING ON THE MATTER WHEN HE MEETS HIM. HE COULD SET OUT THE FACTS AS COATES HAS PREVIOUSLY DONE AND AS BURNS DID DURING THE LAST ROUND OF TALKS IN PEKING. HE MIGHT ALSO ASK LU PING HOW HE THOUGHT SUCH INACCURATE PUBLIC ALLEGATIONS ABOUT THE CONTENT OF CONFIDENTIAL DIPLOMATIC EXCHANGES COULD PROMOTE CLOSER COOPERATION BETWEEN
US.
HURD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
PADS SECRET
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
HD/NEWS D
HD/PUSD
31
DISTRIBUTION
40
HD/PLANNERS
PS
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/PUS
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
ADDITIONAL
9
SIR P CRADOCK (NO 10)
PS/NO.10
MS BROOKS LEGAL ADVISERS
MR J P MCINTYRE HM TRESY
MR APPLEYARD CABINET OFFICE
MR S WIGHTMAN CABINET OFFICE MR GOWAN CABINET OFFICE MR A CHARLTON CABINET OFFICE MR WYE RAD