14252yZ
LNMDAN 1208
CONFIDENTIAL
TT COLI
PEHPAN 9656
FM PEKIN TO FCOLN
14083OZ MAY GRS 545
CONFIDENTIAL FM PEKING
TO TELELETTER F C O TELELETTER N FR
OF 14083OZ MAY 92
2. Copies
HKD OIOTI
FROM
TELELETTER FOLLOWING
SIR ROBIN MCLAREN, PEKING
NFR OF 14 MAY 1992
STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR SIR JOHN COLES, DUSS, FCO
POSSIBLE MEETING WITH MR PATTEN
1. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR SOME HELP AND ADVICE.
2-
AS YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A VAGUE PLAN FOR TONY GALSWORTHY AND ME TO RETURN TO LONDON DURING DAVID WILSON'S RECENT VISIT TO TAKE PART IN A STRATEGY SESSION WITH MINISTERS. THE IDEA FELL AWAY, PARTLY BECAUSE OF PRESSURES ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S DIARY, BUT PARTLY, I SUSPECT, BECAUSE MINISTERS DID NOT SEE THE NEED. THAT LEAVES ME WITH A PERSONAL AWKWARDNESS IN THAT I HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE MR PATTEN SINCE HIS APPOINTMENT AS GOVENROR, AND THERE WILL BE NO NATURAL OCCASION TO DO SO BEFORE I GO ON LEAVE IN MID-JULY. IN THE MEANTIME, MR PATTEN SEEMS TO BE MEETING ALMOST EVERYONE ELSE INVOLVED IN THE UK/HONG KONG/CHINA RELATIONSHIP.
3.
FOR OBVIOUS REASONS I SHOULD LIKE TO SEE MR PATTEN BEFORE HE TAKES OFFICE, OR VERY SOON AFTERWARDS. IF THE IDEA OF A 'SEMINAR' WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE WERE TO BE REVIVED, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL. BUT WITH THE UK PRESIDENCY FAST APPROACHING AND SO MUCH ELSE HAPPENING IN THE WORLD, IT SEEMS TO ME PRETTY UNLIKELY THAT ADEQUATE TIME WOULD BE FOUND FOR SUCH A MEETING, EVEN IF MINISTERS THOUGHT IT DESIRABLE. AS REGARDS OTHER POSSIBILITIES, THERE IS THE SOUTH ASIAN HEADS OF MISSION MEETING FROM 15 TO 17 JUNE TO WHICH PEKING HAS BEEN INVITED TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE. WE HAD DECIDED HERE THAT PHILIP MCLEAN SHOULD ATTEND THIS AND HE HAS MADE HIS DISPOSITIONS ACCORDINGLY. THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF BUSINESS HE COULD USEFULLY DO ON THE SIDE AND I AM RELUCTANT TO UPSET PERSONAL ARRANGEMENTS ALREADY FIRMLY MADE. BUT I COULD/COULD TAKE PHILIP'S PLACE IF MR PATTEN IS GOING TO BE AROUND DURING THE CONFERENCE AND COULD SEE ME AT SOME POINT.
4.
AN ALTERNATIVE POSSIBILITY MIGHT BE FOR ME TO RETURN TO THE UK FOR MIDTOUR LEAVE VIA HONG KONG. BUT THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE PRETTY SOON AFTER MR PATTEN'S ARRIVAL AND MIGHT WELL NOT SUIT HIM. HE IS DUE TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG ON 9 JULY. I AM AT PRESENT PLANNING TO LEAVE HERE ON 13 OR 14 JULY. I COULD DELAY MY DEPARTURE FOR A DAY OR TWO BUT NOT REALLY FOR THAT MUCH LONGER SINCE I HAVE AN INVESTITURE ON 22 JULY AND I WILL NEED TO DO THE ROUNDS IN WHITEHALL AND THE CITY BEFORE EVERYONE GOES OFF ON HOLIDAY.
5. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVICE ON WHETHER I SHOULD PURSUE EITHER OF THESE IDEAS. IF YOU FELT ABLE TO HAVE A WORD WITH MR PATTEN HIMSELF THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL, BUT I LEAVE IT TO YOU WHETHER TO DO SO.
6.
THERE IS ONE RELATED QUESTION, WHICH IS THE TIMING OF
Page 30Page 31