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CONFIDENTIAL
DESK BY 181030Z
CONFIDENTIAL
HICK O
FM HONG KONG 18093DZ NOV 82
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1333 OF 18 NOVEMBER
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, BANGKOK
LORD BELSTEAD'S VISIT.
TOP COPY
gu parily кун
1. NO ANNOUNCEMENT HAS YET BEEN MADE HERE OF LORD BELSTEAD'S VISIT.
BUT THE FACT THAT HE IS COMING IS KNOWN TO AN INCREASING NUMBER
OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE DETAILED PLANNING AND THE NEWS IS BOUND
TO LEAK TO THE MEDIA SOON.
2. TO AVOID SPECULATION I SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT
HERE, IF POSSIBLE TOMORROW (19 NOVEMBER) EVENING. I HAVE IN MIND
A PRESS RELEASE ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:
''THE MINISTER OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE,
LORD BELSTEAD, WILL BE ATTENDING A MEETING OF FAR EASTERN HEADS
OF UK MISSIONS IN BANGKOK IN MID-DECEMBER. BEFORE TRAVELLING TO
BANGKOK HE WILL VISIT HONG KONG FROM 6 TO 10 DECEMBER. THIS WILL
BE LORD BELSTEAD'S FIRST VISIT TO THE TERRITORY SINCE BEING
APPOINTED MINISTER WITH SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG
EARLIER THIS YEAR. HE WILL HAVE TALKS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND SENIOR
OFFICIALS AND WILL MEET UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND
LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS. AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAMME OF VISITS IS BEING
ARRANGED TO ENABLE THE MINISTER TO FAMILIARISE HIMSELF WITH
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TERRITORY.''
3. IN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN WOULD SAY
THAT THE TIMING OF THE VISIT WAS DICTATED BY LORD BELSTEAD'S
PROGRAMME, INCLUDING THE HEADS OF MISSIONS CONFERENCE, AND
WAS NOT RELATED TO THE TALKS ON THE FUTURE. HE WILL NOT BE
GOING TO PEKING.
4. GRATEFUL FOR AN EARLY REPLY, IF POSSIBLE DESKBY 190100Z.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF A SIMILAR ANNOUNCEMENT COULD BE MADE
IN LONDON.
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PS|PUS MR GIFFARD ML DONALD
PS | LORD BELSTEAD
CONFIDENTIAL
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