RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY PEKING
TELNO 822
OF 29180OZ JULY 91
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
RESTRICTED
HKD $28/22.
3
133743
MDLOAN 8848
VISIT OF SIR GEOFFREY HOWE TO HONG KONG AND CHINA
1. SIR GEOFFREY HOWE RANG SIR JOHN COLES TODAY TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE PLANS FOR HIS PROPOSED VISIT.
HONG KONG
2. HE HAS A FIRM SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT IN HONG KONG ON 26 SEPTEMBER AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS OFFERED TO PUT HIM AND LADY HOWE UP FROM 24 SEPTEMBER (WHEN HE ARRIVES) UNTIL HIS DEPARTURE ON PROBABLY 27 SEPTEMBER. GRATEFUL FOR CONFIRMATION.
3. WHILE IN HONG KONG LADY HOWE WILL PROBABLY WISH TO VISIT A UNITED BISCUITS INVESTMENT IN SHENZHEN. SIR GEOFFREY WONDERED WHETHER THEY MIGHT VISIT IT JOINTLY, FROM HONG KONG, ON 25
SEPTEMBER.
CHINA
SIR GEOFFREY SAID THAT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY OFFERED THE IDEA THAT HE MIGHT GO TO PEKING IN CASE HE COULD BE HELPFUL WHEN THE AIRPORT PROBLEM WAS UNRESOLVED. CLEARLY THINGS HAD CHANGED. HE THOUGHT IT BETTER NOT TO GO TO PEKING ON THIS VISIT SEMI-COLON IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO RESERVE THAT POSSIBILITY IN CASE ANOTHER SITUATION AROSE IN WHICH HE COULD BE OF ASSISTANCE. HE WAS THEREFORE COMTEMPLATING 4 OR 5 DAYS IN CHINA OUTSIDE PEKING, PROBABLY AFTER HIS HONG KONG VISIT (THOUGH HE COULD CONSIDER REVERSING THE ORDER). HE WOULD LIKE TO VISIT A GLAXO FACTORY AT CHONGQING AND THEN GO TO THE GUILIN HILLS. LADY HOWE WOULD
ACCOMPANY HIM.
5. SIR GEOFFREY WOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER YOU SEE ANY DIFFICULTY IN THIS PLAN (WE SEE NONE HERE) AND WHETHER YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER SUGGESTIONS OF VISITS OF A TOURISTIC OR OTHER NATURE
WHICH THE HOWES COULD CARRY OUT.
HURD
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