GR 530
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 190445Z MAR
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
RESTRICTED
TOP
62
50
Hick 026/3
INDEX
по
19 MAR 1979
N
TELEGRAM NUMBER 43 OF 19 MARCH, 1979
INFO PRIORITY F.C.0.
FOLLOWING FROM POLITICAL ADVISER,
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 21: GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO CHINA.
THE ARRANGEMENTS AFTER PEKING ARE FINE. IT IS GOOD THAT THEY HAVE MANAGED TO FIT IN LANZHOU AFTER ALL, THE GOVERNOR IS ALSO DELIGHTED THAT THERE IS A CHANCE OF YOUR AND BIRTHE ACCOMPANYING US ON THE FIRST LEG OF THAT JOURNEY.
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2. THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN SOME MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT SHENZHEN, NONA HAD ALREADY PUT FORWARD THE POINTS IN YOUR PARAGRAPH 2 AND 1 HAVE EXPLAINED THAT WE ONLY WISHED, IF CONVENIENT, TO SEE THE EAST RIVER END OF THE WATER SUPPLY SCHEME, THEY ARE NOW TRYING TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS. MEANWHILE WE HAVE AGREED TO STICK TO THE HOVERFERRY IDEA. I THINK WE CAN LEAVE THIS TO BE SORTED OUT BY NONA ALTHOUGH YOU MAY WISH TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN TRADE.
3. THE PEKING PROGRAMME IS CERTAINLY VERY THIN AS PRESENTED. I HAVE ALREADY MADE THIS POINT LOCALLY TO NONA. THEY WERE SURE MORE WOULD BE PUT INTO THE FINAL PROGRAMME INCLUDING A CALL ON AT LEAST ONE NATIONAL LEADER IN ADDITION TO LI GIANG.
4. I WILL BE SPEAKING TO THE NCNA AGAIN TOMORROW ABOUT THE PROGRAMME AND WILL BE SAYING THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING MORE THAN TOURISM. SINCE THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN TRADE SEEM TO BE RIGHT HOWEVER IN SUGGESTING THAT NCNA'S LINE OF COMMUNICATION TO PEKING IS SLOW (CF. THE SHENZHEN CONFUSION), I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF THE EMBASSY COULD ALSO MAKE THE SAME POINT. WE HAVE SAID HERE, AND I THINK IT SHOULD NOW BE REPEATED IN PEKING, THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD LIKE TO CALL ON LIAO CHENGZHIH.
RESTRICTED
/WE WOULD
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