CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 182/6
RECE.WR N
TO DESKBY 03130OZ ATHENS
TELNO 219
OF 03110OZ JULY 91
08 JULISTI
24 OFFICE
AND TO DESKBY 0313OOZ OTHER EC POSTS
AND TO DESKBY 03130OZ WASHINGTON
AND TO DESKBY 040001Z TOKYO
AND TO DESKBY 03140OZ OTTAWA
TOP COPY Q DIST?
AND TO DESKBY 03210OZ CANBERRA, WELLINGTON
AND TO DESKBY 040001Z SINGAPORE
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
2
032716
MDHOAN 6557
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, MANILA, KUALA LUMPUR, BANGKOK
INFO IMMEDIATE BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, JAKARTA, MOSCOW, UKMIS NEW YORK
CHINA/HONG KONG: THE AIRPORT PROJECT: VISIT OF PRIME
MINISTER TO CHINA
SUMMARY
1. INSTRUCTIONS TO BRIEF PARTNERS AND ALLIES
IN ADVANCE OF ANNOUNCEMENT ON
4 JULY. POSTS SHOULD TRY TO SECURE FAVOURABLE COMMENT FROM HOST GOVERNMENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE (EG JAPAN, US, CANADA) WITH SUBSTANTIAL INTERESTS IN HONG KONG.
DETAIL
2.
AN ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE SIMULTANEOUSLY IN LONDON, PEKING AND HONG KONG AT O8OOZ ON 4 JULY THAT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS ON HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW AIRPORT IN HONG KONG, AND RELATED ISSUES. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WILL ALSO MAKE PUBLIC THE PRIME MINISTER'S INTENTION TO VISIT CHINA SOON TO SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH PREMIER LI PENG ENSHRINING THE AGREEMENT.
3.
ACTION POSTS SHOULD APPROACH THE GOVERNMENT TO WHICH YOU ARE ACCREDITED AT A SUITABLY SENIOR LEVEL TO INFORM THEM IN CONFIDENCE IN ADVANCE OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS AND TRY TO SECURE FAVOURABLE COMMENT ON THIS OUTCOME. EC POSTS IN PARTICULAR SHOULD MAKE CLEAR THAT THE PRIME MINISTER'S DECISION TO VISIT PEKING WAS NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY. HMG REMAINS FULLY CONSCIOUS OF THE GENERAL. COMMUNITY VIEW THAT CONTACTS AT HEADS OF GOVERNMENT. LEVEL WITH CHINA SHOULD NOT BE RUSHED, INTO (SEE IN PARTICULAR
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