XN000022-1984-02-27 — Page 2

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1984

VALUE OF PERSONAL CONTACT STRESSED

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THE VALUE OF PERSONAL CONTACT WAS STRESSED TODAY BY MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, MR RICHARD LUCE, AFTER A MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

MR LUCE SAID: + HAVE SPENT THE MORNING WITH THE GOVERNOR IN THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. I HAVE HAD A VERY COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE PRESENT SITUATION IN HONG KONG AND I MUST SAY THAT I HAVE HAD VERY VALUABLE DISCUSSIONS.+

+AS I SAID ON MY ARRIVAL, I, MY PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN SECRETARY, ATTACH THE HIGHEST IMPORTANCE TO PERSONAL CONTACT AND THAT THEREFORE WAS THE VALUE OF THIS MORNING'S MEETING.+

AMBASSADOR SAYS TALKS HERE 'EXTREMELY VALUABLE'

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THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO PEKING, SIR RICHARD EVANS, TODAY DESCRIBED AS +EXTREMELY VALUABLE+ HIS MEETING WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND HIS CONSULTATIONS WITH MR RICHARD LUCE, MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, AND THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS SHORTLY BEFORE DEPARTING FOR PEKING SIR RICHARD SAID HE COULD NOT AFFORD TO STAY ANY LONGER BECAUSE HE WOULD BE HOST TO MR PAUL CHANNON, MINISTER OF TRADE, AT A DINNER PARTY THIS EVENING.

+BUT I SHALL BE BACK SOON, HE SAID.

+AND AS I SAID IN PEKING A FEW DAYS AGO, ALL THOSE OF YOU WHO GO THERE FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS ARE VERY WELCOME TO COME. AND HAVE TEA WITH MY WIFE AND MYSELF AT MY HOUSE AT 5 O'CLOCK ON MARCH 16, HE TOLD REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT.

+WE SHALL BE READY FOR YOU.

+BUT DON'T BRING YOUR NOTEBOOKS

AND YOUR CAMERAS. AND YOUR

OTHER ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, BECAUSE THIS IS A GET-TOGETHER SESSION, A GETTING ACQUAINTED SESSION.

+WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU VERY MUCH THEN, HE SAID.

SIR RICHARD WAS SEEN OFF AT THE AIRPORT BY THE GOVERNOR'S ASSISTANT PRIVATE SECRETARY, MR MATTHEW CHEUNG.

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