CONFIDENTIAL
162045
MDHOA 9780 ›
ETC) SHOULD BE MANAGEABLE WITHIN THE TIME NOW PROPOSED. WE AGREE WITH SIR A DONALD THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO LEAVE SUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE PEKING SECTOR, WHICH IS CENTRAL TO THE PURPOSES OF THE WHOLE VISIT. BUT TO CUT THE
HONG KONG LEG BACK AS MUCH AS HE PROPOSES WOULD BE TOO DRASTIC.
(II) IF ARRIVAL IN PEKING IS NOW AT 1930 ON 3 APRIL, DEPARTURE
FROM TAISHAN SHOULD BE DELAYED FROM 5 UNTIL 6 APRIL TO ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME FOR A PROPER PEKING PROGRAMME.
(III) THE TAISHAN VISIT STILL COMPLICATES PLANNING. THE
SECRETARY OF STATE IS ATTRACTED TO THE OVERNIGHT TRAIN JOURNEY AND TO WATCHING THE SUNRISE. THIS IMPLIES SPENDING 24 HOURS ON OR AROUND TAISHAN, CLIMBING IT GENTLY ON 7 APRIL AND DESCENDING RAPIDLY ON 8 APRIL IN TIME TO DRIVE TO JINAN AND THEN FLY TO CANTON. THE CHARTERED AIRCRAFT WILL
BE ESSENTIAL FOR THIS GAMEPLAN. BUT THE CANTON LEG WILL
THEN BE VERY TIGHT EVEN ON OPTIMUM TIMING.
(IV) THERE WOULD BE CONSIDERABLE LOGISTICAL AND TIMING
(V)
ADVANTAGES IF THERE WERE NO OVERNIGHT STAY IN CANTON AND
THE CHARTER AIRCRAFT COULD GO ON LATER IN THE EVENING OF 8
APRIL TO HONG KONG. WOULD THIS CAUSE PROBLEMS? HOW LATE COULD THE AIRCRAFT ARRIVE IN HONG KONG?
A FURTHER ADVANTAGE OF HAVING A CHARTER AIRCRAFT ON STANDBY AT JINAN IS THAT IF, FOR ANY REASON, IT WAS NECESSARY TO RETURN TO PEKING FOR A FURTHER SESSION OF TALKS ON 8 APRIL, THE MEANS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. IN THIS CASE THE CANTON LEG WOULD HAVE TO BE DROPPED. (WE IMAGINE THAT, IN SUCH A CONTINGENCY, THE CANTON AUTHORITIES WOULD ACCEPT THE UNAVOIDABLE NATURE OF ANY LAST MINUTE CANCELLATION).
WE NOTE YOUR PROPOSALS FOR THE PEKING PROGRAMME AND WILL COMMENT FURTHER IN DUE COURSE. BESIDES THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS SET OUT IN FCO TELNO 203, YOU SHOULD PLAN ON A NEWS CONFERENCE AS A FINAL FIXTURE IN THE PEKING PROGRAMME. A MEETING WITH THE STAFF SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED. FURTHER REFINEMENTS MUST
AWAIT AT LEAST AGREEMENT ON TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS.
5.
ACCOMMODATION: THE SECRETARY OF STATE WOULD MUCH PREFER TO STAY AT THE RESIDENCE. IN EXPLAINING THIS TO THE CHINESE YOU COULD SAY THAT (A) THE SECRETARY OF STATE WOULD LIKE FOR PERSONAL
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