TNAG-1029-FCO40-1279-Visits-by-FCO-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 138

CONFIDENTIAL

STAFF IN CONFIDENCE

Sir J Cater KEE Acting Governor HONG KONG

233-3184

25 July 1980

P J WILLIAMSON'S LEAVE/DUTY VISIT TO HONG KONG

1.

Martin Rowlands' letter of 8 April agreed to the extension of Patrick Williamson's secondment and also that he should take leave at the end of this year. Patrick has now asked that his visit to Hong Kong should in fact be from 2 to 28 March. This is because his landlord wishes to occupy his house during that month. Patrick proposes to include a week of duty visits in Hong Kong in that period. This suits us and, I hope, will be convenient to you.

2.

Patrick has also asked whether it would be possible to include Peking in his visit, on the grounds that a large amount of our work here has a China angle to it.

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3. As you know, Peter Webb and Philip Morrice, when they made their familiarisation visits to Hong Kong, both went on to Peking for talks with the Embassy there. Philip Morrice has confirmed that a good deal of the activities of the Chancery and Consular Section in Peking is concerned with Hong Kong affairs and he feels that his own visit has been of great value to him. My own view is that it would be useful for Patrick to go on to Peking, both in terms of his present job and as a longer term investment for him and the Hong Kong Government. 1 appreciate that you have fairly stiff local rules about Civil Servants visiting China, but in view of the rapid change in climate over the last two years, I wonder whether these could be relaxed in Patrick Williamson's case, particularly as the visit could be presented as that of an FCO official rather than an official of the Hong Kong Government.

4.

The visit need only last a few days and would involve talking to the Embassy and, if they judged it appropriate, meeting one or two officials in the Foreign Ministry. Whether ratrick Williamson should travel via Guangzhou to talk to Provincial officials could be left until nearer the time.

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CONFIDENTIAL STAFF IN CONFIDENCE

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