PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 010/2 RECEIVED IN PL
2 MAY
it.
Minister
STRY
From:
PS/Mr Goodlad
Date:
30 April 1993
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
CC:
SIR PERCY CRADOCK
Sir J Coles
Mr Hum
Mr Morris, HKD
1. You agreed to speak to the Governor over the weekend about the points raised in the attached correspondence. The conclusions which you and Sir J Coles reached in your office meeting on 30 April, and which would form the basis of your discussions with the Governor, were as follows:
Sir J Coles should contact Sir P Cradock early next week and enquire about his travel plans. Even if he confirms he is to visit Peking, Sir J Coles will say that we should prefer him not to do so because of the imminence of talks and the danger of misinterpretation (we do not believe that we can formally request him, as a private individual on Kleinwort Benson business, not to go).
But Sir J Coles should in these circumstances ask Sir P Cradock to make crystal clear to the media and Chinese authorities, if asked, that he is not acting as emissary for HMG, that he carries no message from HMG and that he is travelling as a private individual.
Sir J Coles will tell him that we shall be explaining his private status to the Chinese and, if necessary, the media.
Sir J Coles will not proffer an update. But if Sir
P Cradock asks for one, we can hardly refuse to brief him in general terms. This will require only a few general sentences (talks will go into a third round; we want to reach agreement; it will not be easy). If asked by the media we would say that he had been given a short general account of the current situation but no detailed briefing.
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PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
(TO)