CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 826,
026/9
le please;
42
011617
MDHOAN 0264
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 22010OZ PEKING
TELNO 248
OF 21180OZ MARCH 91
INFO IMMEDIATE MOSCOW, HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
MOSCOW FOR SECRETARY OF STATE'S PARTY
FROM BURNS, AUSS
YOUR TELNO 347 : SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG
THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS NOW GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG AND PEKING TO BE MADE AS SOON AS WE JUDGE APPROPRIATE.
2. YOU SHOULD NOW THEREFORE CONFIRM WITH THE CHINESE THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE IN LONDON AT 123OZ ON MONDAY,
25 MARCH, IN THE TERMS OF MIFT. WE THINK IT BEST TO AVOID THE FURTHER CONFUSION WHICH MIGHT BE CAUSED BY BRINGING FORWARD THE DATE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT, GIVEN THAT OUR PROFESSED SECURITY CONCERNS ARE WHOLLY REASONABLE. BUT FORMAL NOTIFICATION TO THE MFA SHOULD MEET THE CONSIDERATIONS SET OUT IN PARAGRAPHS 4 AND 5 OF YOUR TUR AND IN HONG KONG TELNO 887. BOTH YOU AND HONG KONG SHOULD MEANWHILE FIRMLY REBUT ANY PRESS SPECULATION THAT THE APPARENT DELAY IN MAKING A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT REFLECTS EITHER ANY DISPUTE WITH CHINA OR DOUBT ABOUT THE VISIT.
3.LORD CAITHNESS HAS APPROVED THESE TELEGRAMS.
HURD
YYYY
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