12
102234
MDHIAN 5896
SECRET
HKB 182 ! 5
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 18233OZ PEKING
TELNO 138
OF 181139Z JULY 91
INFO DESKBY 18123OZ FCO
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG
1991
PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR FROM GOVERNOR
TOP COPY Q DIST?
p.a.
GF
(5.877
་
ых
(mmy the)
UKREP JLG HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY
R
YRTELNO 185: LU PING
1. LU'S RESPONSE DOES INDEED CREATE MAJOR PROBLEMS FOR ME. WITH THE BEST WILL IN THE WORLD, I SIMPLY CANNOT MANAGE EITHER 26 OR 27 JULY. I AM TIED UP WITH LORD CAITHNESS' VISIT ON BOTH DAYS AND ALSO HAVE SEPARATE, UNBREAKABLE, COMMITMENTS. I LEAVE HONG KONG ON THE EVENING OF 27 JULY.
2. THESE DIARY DIFFICULTIES, COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT LU WAS UNABLE TO MEET MY SUGGESTION OF 20 JULY AND THERE IS AN APPARENT POSSIBILITY THAT HE WILL BE HERE IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, WOULD NORMALLY POINT TO REGRETTING THAT IT IS A PRACTICAL IMPOSSIBILITY TO MEET BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH AND SUGGESTING A MEETING IN
SEPTEMBER.
3. HOWEVER, I AM LOATHE TO ALLOW DIFFICULTIES ABOUT FINDING A MUTUALLY CONVENIENT DATE TO GROW INTO SUSPICION THAT THERE IS ANY RELUCTANCE ON MY PART TO MEET, JUST WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD A MORE WORKMANLIKE RELATIONSHIP IN THE WAKE OF THE AIRPORT AGREEMENT. FURTHERMORE I HAVE HAD A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM LU, VIA SIR D AKERS-JONES WHO SAW HIM IN PEKING EARLIER THIS WEEK, THAT HE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO MEET BEFORE I GO ON LEAVE. THE REASON GIVEN WAS TO DISCUSS THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT AND THE AIRPORT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE, WHICH LU HOPES CAN BE SET UP SOON AFTER THE MOU IS SIGNED. THE IDEA THAT I SHOULD BE DISCUSSING ANY ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT WITH LU PING IS A NONSENSE, BUT THE NATURE AND THE WARMTH OF THE MESSAGE ADDS TO MY RELUCTANCE TO TURN HIM DOWN FLAT.
4 I AM THEREFORE PREPARED TO SQUEEZE MY NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAMME
EVEN TIGHTER AND SUGGEST A MEETING WITH LU PING ON THE MORNING OF
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