TNAG-1160-FCO40-1440-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Hong-Kong--1982 — Page 160

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GR 250

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FM PEKING 170351Z AUG 82

TO PRIORITY FCO

CONFIDENTIAL

TELEGRAM NUMBER 449 OF 17 AUGUST

INFO SAVING HONG KONG, TOKYO

وسكر

PA

159

HK 15 026/5.

لك

RÉGUSTAT 142

16 AUG 1982

MY TELUO 446: PARA 4: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT: SHANGHAI RECEPTION

1. THEPE ARE TWO MAIN ALTERNATIVES FOR THE RECEPTION. THE FIRST IS A RECEPTION HOSTED BY A BRITISH COMPANY. BP AND THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK HAVE OFFERED TO DO THIS. WE HAVE UNTIL NOW (MY TELNO 421) FAVOURED BP WHO HAVE SUITABLE PREMISES AND OFFERED FIRST. BUT WE NOW LEARN THAT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HKANDSB IS AMONG THOSE INVITED BY Y K PAO TO BE IN SHANGHAI FOR THE SHIP LAUNCHING. TO ACCEPT BP'S OFFER WOULD RELIEVE US OF EXPENSE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS, BUT RUNS THE RISK OF CAUSING OFFENCE TO THE HKANDSB AND SOME OF THE SMALL BRITISH COMMUNITY IN SHANGHAI. IN MY VIEW, BP'S OFFER WOULD ONLY BE ACCEPTABLE IF THEY GAVE THE RECEPTION IN THE NAME OF THE WHOLE BRITISH COMMUNITY AND INCLUDED GUESTS DESIRED BY OTHER COMPANIES (SUCH AS Y K PAO AND HIS SUITE: DETAILS ENCLOSED WITH MY LETTER OF 16 AUGUST TO ELLIOTT).

2. THE SECOND IS FOR THE PRIME MINISTER OR THE AMBASSADOR TO HOST RECEPTION IN THE JINJIANG CLUB (WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE GUEST HOUSE). THIS WOULD SHIELD US FROM CRITICISMS OF PARTIALITY. WE HAVE ASKED THE MFA, WITHOUT ANY COMMITMENT, TO INFORM US OF LIKELY PER CAPITA COST.

3. I FEEL THAT THE CHOICE BETWEEN THE SP VILLA AND THE JINJIANG IS A NICE ONE. THE PROBABLE DESIRABILITY OF INCLUDING AT LEAST SOME OF Y K PAO'S PARTY OF 40 IN THE RECEPTION IS A NEW FACTOR WHICH POINTS TO THE JINJIANG CLUB, ALTHOUGH IF THAT COURSE IS ADOPTED, BP MAY FEEL A LITTLE NEGLECTED (PARA 2 OF ELLIOTT'S MINUTE TO COX OF 6 AUGUST). THERE IS LITTLE SPARE TIME IN THE LATEST DRAFT SHANGHAI PROGRAMME FOR A SEPARATE VISIT TO THE BP VILLA EXCEPT, POSSIBLY, FOR A LATE EVENING DRINK AFTER THE CULTURAL PERFORMANCE.

GRATEFUL FOR COMMENTS.

ATKINSON

LIMITED FED PCD нкая MR SIFFAR MR DON AND

CONFIDENTIAL

THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED

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