CONFIDENTIAL
HICC 021/1
29
070062
MDHIAN 1475
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 802
OF 191134Z MAY 1993
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
FOLLOWING FOR HUM, AUSS, FROM GOVERNOR
PEKING FOR CHARGE
28
за
6 monthly
YOUR TELNO 292: BILATERAL MEETING WITH THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER.
1. I DO NOT THINK THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHOULD ENVISAGE A VISIT TO PEKING I THE NEAR FUTURE. I ALSO AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR QIAN TO AGREE TO A MEETING ON NEUTRAL GROUND IN THE FAR EAST.
2. UNLESS A NATURAL MULTILATERAL OPPORTUNITY COMES UP IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, NEITHER SIR R MCLAREN NOR I CAN SEE ANY STRONG REASON FOR A MEETING. WE THINK THAT WE SHOULD SIMPLY LET THE MATTER SLIDE. IF TAXED ON THE MOU REQUIREMENT FOR SIX MONTHLY MEETINGS, WE CAN REFER TO THE CHINESE MFA SPOKESMAN'S RECENT STATEMENT IN WHICH I BELIEVE HE SAID THAT THE TIME WAS NOT YET RIPE FOR A MEETING. IN THAT WAY WE WOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT WE WERE NOT UNILATERALLY BREACHING THE MOU.
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DISTRIBUTION
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MR CROWE
SIR J COLES MR HUM
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