TNAG-1240-FCO40-1553-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 54

!

GR 300

SECRET

FROM PEKING 101000Z AUG 83

TO PRIORITY FCO

SECRET

TELEGRAM NUMBER 770 OF 10/6/83

Ente se return

(Rossible visit to Britain

hy Foreign Minister)

REPEATED FOR INFO TO PRIORITY HONG KONG AND UKMIS NEW YORK

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: WU XUEQIAN'S VISIT TO THE UN

11/.

1. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT WU XUEQIAN WILL SE GOING TO THE UNGA PRIOR TO A VISIT TO CANADA FROM 4 TO 10 OCTOBER. HE WILL RETURN TO THE US FOR A VISIT FROM 10 TO 15 OCTOBER, SPENDING 11 TO 13 OCTOBER IN WASHINGTON. ACCORDING TO THE AMERICANS HE INTENDS TO RETURN TO CHINA VIA EUROPE.

? Australia l**< 1383.

2. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DISCOVER THE EXACT DATES OF HIS TRIP TO THE UN OR HIS EUROPEAN ITINERARY. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO ENQUIRE THROUGH DIPLOMATIC COLLEAGUES, BUT IT WOULD IN OUR VIEW BE PREMATURE FOR US TO ASK THE MFA DIRECTLY, BECAUSE (Chinese repo

THEY WOULD CERTAINLY SUSPECT THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR A MEETING, AND SEE A HONG KONG CONNECTION. UKAIS NEW YORK MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND OUT THE UN DATES MORE EASILY.

3. IF WU'S ATTENDANCE AT THE UNGA COINCIDES WITH YOUR OWN YOU

WILL WISH TO CONSIDER WHETHER A MEETING SHOULD BE ARRANGED.

due

to speak 27 sept pa

(25-30 Sept)

THE UNGA COULD PROVIDE A RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR A HIGH-LEVEL CONTACT WITH RELATIVELY LITTLE PUBLICITY OR RISK OF RAISING EXPECTATIONS OF A BREAKTHROUGH IN THE HONG KONG TALKS. WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE A PARTICULAR MESSAGE TO GET ACROSS IN SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER, SUCH A CONTACT COULD, FROM HERE, SEEM USEFUL.

4. IF A MEETING IN NEW YORK WERE NOT POSSIBLE, THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF ASKING WU TO PASS THROUGH LONDON WHILE HE IS IN EUROPE. THIS WOULD ATTRACT MUCH MORE ATTENTION AND THEREFORE CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS. THE ARRANGEMENTS WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE SEFORE THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS IN PEKING AND WOULD RISK. GIVING A FALSE SIGNAL TO THE CHINESE. ON THE WHOLE WE ARE AGAINST IT. YOU MAY WISH TO SEEK THE AMBASSADOR'S ADVICE. CLARK

FEC 027/15

12 AUG 1983

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

LIMIMMED

ED/EKO

HD/FED

ED/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

MR WRIGHT

THIS TELEGRAM COPIES TO:

WAS NOT ADVANCED

SECRET

A

SIR I SINCLAIR -LEGAL ADVISER”

MR BURROWS

MR MARTIN

MR FLOWER

MR COLES

LEGAL ADVISERS ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

NO 10 DOWNING ST

SIR A PARSONS 11

12

MR WALKER, RESEARCH DEPT

MR ROBERTS NEWS D

GOGGS

}