TNAG-0841-FCO40-1050-Visit-of-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-Chi-1979 — Page 287

GR 200

SECRET

SECRET

Hick 026/3

FM FCO 081225Z FEB 79

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 125 OF 8 FEBRUARY

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

(13

ه

P

No

12/2

14 116 YOUR TELNOS 140, 159 AND 200 AND PEKING TELNO 109: INVITATION TO VISIT PEKING

•

1.

I THINK YOUR VISIT SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH, THUS LEAVING A REASONABLE GAP BEFORE MY OWN VISIT DURING THE PERIOD 7-17 APRIL.

2.

I ALSO AGREE THAT DURING YOUR VISIT YOU SHOULD TAKE PRELIMINARY SOUNDINGS ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF THE LEASES, ON THE LINES OF PARAGRAPH 4 OF YOUR TELNO 200. WE SHALL BE DECIDING IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HOW TO PLAY OUR HAND AND IN DUE COURSE HOW I SHOULD MOVE MATTERS ALONG DURING MY OWN VISIT, MEANWHILE IF THE CHINESE ASK AGAIN FOR AN ADVANCE INDICATION OF THE TOPICS WHICH YOU WISH TO RAISE YOU SHOULD SAY THAT YOU WILL LET THEM KNOW A FEW WEEKS BEFOREHAND (WE NOTE THAT THE NCNA HAVE ALREADY ASKED ABOUT THIS). IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE AN EARLY INDICATION OF THE OTHER SUBJECTS WHICH YOU THINK APPROPRIATE FOR DISCUSSION IN PEKING. WE ASSUME THAT THESE WILL INCLUDE IMMIGRATION AND, IF ONLY BECAUSE LI QIANG IS TO BE YOUR HOST, TRADE QUESTIONS.

OWEN

!

HKGD

FED

FS

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

PS/PUS

SIR A.DUFF

MR.CORTAZZI

MR.MURRAY

MR.RUSHFORD, LEGAL ADVS.

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