TNAG-0333-FCO40-369-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 131

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TO PRIORITY PEKING TEL NO 733 OF 21 SEPTEMBER/INFO HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR)

HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 858 (NOW REPEATED TO YOU): SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG

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1. WE HAVE NOT YET MADE A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO CHINA. PLEASE SEEK THE AGREEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE LINES SET OUT BELOW. THIS MIGHT BE ISSUED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN LONDON AND PEKING AT 1130 GMT ON A DATE AGREEABLE TO THE CHINESE. FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW WE SHOULD LIKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO BE MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

BEGINS:

"THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS HAS ACCEPTED AN INVITATION FROM THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER, MR CHI PENG-FEI, TO VISIT CHINA. THE VISIT WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 29 OCTOBER TO 2 NOVEMBER. SIR ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LADY

DOUGLAS-HOME."'

ENDS.

2. NEWS DEPARTMENT PROPOSE TO ISSUE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ANNOUNCE~

ENT MENTIONED ABOVE A SEPARATE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE SECRATARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG (SEE MY TELEGRAM NO 836 TO HONG KONG) YOU MAY WISH TO LET THE CHINESE KNOW INFORMALLY THAT SUCH AN ANNOUNCEMENT IS BEING MADE. WE DO NOT OF COURSE PROPOSE THAT THE TEXT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR THE TIMING OF ITS RELEASE SHOULD BE

CLEARED WITH THEM.

DOUGLAS-HOME

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PS MR ROYLE SIR E NORRIS SIR D WATSON

NEWS D

MR WILFORD

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