RECENT
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 11110OZ FCO
TELNO 728
OF 111032Z MAY 93
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
QL.
21
045204
MDHIAN 0453
FOR RICKETTS, HKD, FROM GOVERNOR
POSSIBLE MEETING BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND QIAN QICHEN
1.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON BOSNIA WILL NOW TAKE PLACE ON OR AROUND 21 MAY AND THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS ASKED FOR ADVICE ON WHETHER HE SHOULD SEEK A MEETING
WITH QIAN ON 21 MAY.
2. THE TIMING IS FAR FROM IDEAL, GIVEN THAT THE THIRD ROUND OF TALKS WILL START IN PEKING THAT DAY, BUT I THINK IT WOULD LOOK VERY ODD IN HONG KONG IF WE MADE NO ATTEMPT TO SET UP A MEETING. DOING SO IS LIKELY TO HAVE THE UNFORTUNATE EFFECT OF ENSURING THAT WE RECEIVE NO REPLY TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S MESSAGE BEFORE THE THIRD ROUND. BUT THAT CANNOT BE HELPED.
3. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE MEETING WOULD BE FOR A MAXIMUM OF 90 MINUTES. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND GIVEN THAT THE KEY PLAYERS FROM HONG KONG WILL BE IN PEKING, I THINK IT WOULD BE UNDERSTOOD HERE IF NO ONE FROM HKG WAS PRESENT FOR THE MEETING. I ASSUME IT WOULD, IF IT TOOK PLACE, BE BILLED AS THE SIX-MONTHLY MEETING UNDER THE AIRPORT MOU.
4 THE MAIN HONG KONG OBJECTIVE SHOULD OBVIOUSLY BE TO PERSUADE QIAN THAT THE TALKS ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD MOVE ON FROM PRINCIPLE. IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF THE SECRETARY OF STATE COULD ALSO COMMEND OUR NEW AIRPORT FINANCING PROPOSAL TO QIAN (IT WILL BE MADE PUBLIC THAT DAY). NO DOUBT HE WILL ALSO WISH TO URGE THE CHINESE TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS AGAIN IN THE JLG ACROSS THE BOARD, AND PRESS FOR DATES TO BE AGREED FOR THE NEXT JLG MEETING IF THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED BY THEN.
PATTEN
YYYY
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CONFIDENTIAL