TNAG-1257-FCO40-1590-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 123

RESTRICTED

527

British Embassy

Our ref: 021/11

Mrs A Clarke

MED

FCO

Dear Alison

Poiss jedo Enter the

countries

VISIT OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER TO OMAN

MUSCAT

Sultanate of Oman

29 October 1983

сс

HICD

Me Thomson

Apa China/Oman

тра

Elxi

1. Wu Xueqian visited Oman accompanied by a small delegation' from 20-23 October. During his stay the Minister held several sessions of talks with his Omani counterpart and host Yusuf Alawi, was re- ceived by the Sultan, made the usual round of calls on Senior, dignitaries and toured the Capital Area and Nizwa in the interior. The visit was rounded off by a press conference, which although described as 'joint', was in fact only attended by one. Chinese journalist.

2. I enclose translations of salient pieces from the Arabic daily "Oman". In the context of bilateral relations the Minister will have cemented existing co-operation with Oman mainly involving exchange of economic/trade and cultural expertise (see my letter of 18 May). In public, he spoke in predictable terms on Iranian threats to block the Straits of Hormuz, Iran/Iraq, Lebanon and Israel (details in the enclosed press release). Out of courtesy, Yusuf Al Alawi seems to have exaggerated the significance of the visit during his opening remarks at the press conference. As far as we know Oman was Wu's only Gulf stop and it is difficult to see any effect of this visit. radiating out to the Gulf area as Alawi suggested.

as a whole

3. Wa's comments to journalists about Hong Kong were unprompted, and it is curious that he should have chosen the visit to Cman to make what amounts to an unrelated policy statement. Perhaps he considered the strong British connection with Oman a justification for a stab at British nerve endings, and the fact that I am reporting his words proves him right! No doubt his remarks were part and parcel of Chinese attempts to keep the question under the internation spotlight.

4. So, Oman/Chinese contacts continue unabated. Shortly before the Minister's viulb a group of five Chinese media experts, ranging from the Director-General of Radio and TV to the Arabic Announcer on Peking Radio, spent a week here. And during the forthcoming Cmani Youth Year celebrations over the National Day period, a group of young Chinese performers will undoubtedly be a main attraction.

cc. FED. FOC

Chancery, Peking

Yomiever Gieve

SR Turtir Second Secret

R13 RECRED

1. HICIC040/5

};

ヤ

CHIS/I