GAS 498
RET
FM PEKING 2596552 JAN 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
SEORET
HKCK a26/s
Акк
TELNO 199 OF 25 JAN
INFO HONG KONG (FOR POLITICAL ADVISER)
TOP
OOP!
No
Jsalı
7
HONG KONG TELNOS 140 AND 159: INVITATION TO VISIT PEKING
1. ALMOST ALL THE CONSIDERATIONS ARGUE FOR AN EARLY VISIT BY THE GOVERNOR.
(A) IF THE LEASES QUESTION IS TO BE TACKLED (AND IT WOULD IN MY VIEW BE WRONG TO MISS THE OPPORTUNITY) AN EARLY VISIT WOULD ALLOW THE GOVERNOR TO GIVE MAXIMUM HELP OVER THE CONSEQUENT WORK
BEFORE AUGUST.
(B) THE LEASES QUESTION COULD TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS TO SETTLE. THE CHINESE WOULD PRESUMABLY WANT TIME TO REFLECT BEFORE GIVING
A CLEAR RESPONSE.
(C) THE CHINESE THEMSELVES HAVE NOW SUGGESTED A VISIT AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE.
2.
WHETHER THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT SHOULD PRECEDE YOUR OWN IN APRIL IS A NICE POINT. SINCE OUR PREFERENCE IS TO CONFINE OUR APPROACH TO THE TECHNICAL QUESTION OF LEASES, IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO HAVE THE GOVERNOR FIRST. THIS WOULD ALLOW YOU TO DEAL WITH IT AS IN PARAGRAPH 2(D) OF HONG KONG TELNO 140. THE IDEAL PROG-. RAMME MIGHT THEREFORE BE:
(A) VISIT BY THE GOVERNOR IN MARCH, PROBABLY PRECEDED BY NOTICE TO THE CHINESE IN PEKING VIA THIS EMBASSY ABOUT THE LEASES PROBLEM (SEMI COLON)
(B) YOUR OWN VISIT IN APRIL.
За THE ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE YOUR VISIT IN APRIL, THE GOVERNOR'S IN MAY. ON THE GROUNDS GIVEN ABOVE THIS IS LESS GOOD BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE. ANYTHING LATER THAN MAY WOULD LEAVE THE GOVERNOR
NO TIME FOR WORTHWHILE FOLLOW-UP IN HONG KONG BEFORE HE LEAVES.
SEORET
14.
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