SECRET
HKB 18215.
16 JUL 1991
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELNO 130
OF 11065OZ JULY 91
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
7
060147
MDHIAN 5035
TOP COPY Q DIST?
PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR
UKREP JLG PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY
PADS SECRET
YRTELNO 1088 TO FCO: CALL ON LU PING: PROPOSED MEETING WITH ME IN
HONG KONG
.
1 I WOULD NOT WANT TO RUN THE RISK OF UPSETTING LU PING BY
PLAYING HARD TO GET IF HE REALLY THINKS THAT A MEETING THIS MONTH IS IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY. BUT, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT IS LIKELY TO BE PRETTY INCONVENIENT FOR ME. MY DIARY IS ALREADY VERY FULL, AND IS LIKELY TO GET EVEN FULLER, WITH A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL MEETINGS TO BE FITTED IN BEFORE I GO ON LEAVE. THE ONLY TIME THAT I WOULD REALLY BE ABLE TO SEE LU FOR A PROPER MEETING WOULD BE SATURDAY 20 JULY. IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD FIND SOME WAY OF FEEDING THIS THOUGHT IN, BEFORE LU GETS TOO SET ON ANY OTHER DATE.
2. ONE OTHER POINT THAT WE WOULD NEED TO CONSIDER IS WHETHER OR NOT THIS WOULD BE A PUBLIC VISIT. THE IMPRESSION FROM YOUR TALK IS THAT LU DOES NOT SEE THIS AS ONE OF THE 'OFFICIAL' VISITS TO WHICH THE MOU REFERS, PARTICULARLY SINCE HE SEES IT HAPPENING BEFORE THE MOU IS SIGNED FORMALLY AND HE HAS ATTACHED GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO THE MOU ONLY COMING INTO EFFECT THEN. MY INCLINATION THEREFORE, IF LU REALLY WANTS TO COME BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH, WOULD BE TO KEEP THE MEETING LOW PROFILE AND HOLD IT AT FANLING, ALTHOUGH I SEE NO HARM IN THE VISIT BECOMING PUBLICLY KNOW. INDEED IT WOULD BE EASIER TO HANDLE IF IT DOES.
WILSON
YYYY