TNAG-1297-FCO40-1652-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 119

69

66

GRS 290

SECRET

DESKBY 130030Z

FM FCO 121530Z MAR 84

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

SEODETne

HKK

TELEGRAM NUMBER 448 OF 12 MARCH

027/2

kee (70)

Sex (75)

RECERINGSTRY 14 MAR 1984

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP BRUSSELS (FOR PS/SECRETARY OF STATE)

FOR GOVERNOR FROM CLIFT

YOUR TELNO 654: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISITS

TO HONG KONG AND CHINA

1.

THIS IS A PROVISIONAL RESPONSE IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S

ABSENCE IN BRUSSELS. WE AGREE THAT WE SHOULD AVOID A

Talen

For

VISIT TO HONG KONG BEFORE PEKING. THE ALTERNATIVE, OF SELECTIVE

UNOFFICIALS CALLING ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN LONDON BEFORE HE

HE LEAVES FOR THE FAR EAST, WOULD BE FAR LESS LIKELY TO AROUSE

CHINESE SENSITIVITIES. YOU COULD CERTAINLY TELL EXCO THAT IN

PRINCIPLE WE SHOULD EXPECT THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO BE PLEASED

TO SEE SUCH A GROUP BUT THAT THE EXACT TIMING AND COMPOSITION

WOULD NEED TO BE WORKED OUT.

2.

FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, WE THINK THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO

KEEP THE GROUP SMALL. WE AGREE ON THE NEED TO AVOID DIRECT COMPARI-

SON WITH EARLIER FULL-SCALE VISITS BY EXCO UNOFFICIALS LED BY YOUR-

SELF.

WITH THAT YARDSTICK, THE TRIO OF SIR S Y CHUNG, MR Q W LEE

AND MR S L CHEN, PLUS MR LOBO, WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST

ARRANGEMENT.

3. SO FAR AS DATES ARE CONCERNED, 9 APRIL IS OUT ALTOGETHER

BECAUSE OF AN UNBREAKABLE MINISTERIAL MEETING IN LUXEMBOURG.

APRIL 11, 12 AND 13 ARE AT PRESENT CLEAR, AS IS 6 APRIL IF THE

GROUP WERE ABLE TO TRAVEL A LITTLE EARLIER. YOU MAY WISH TO

DISCUSS THESE ALTERNATIVES PRIVATELY WITH SIR S Y CHUNG, BUT

AT THIS STAGE WE THINK IT WOULD BE BEST TO LEAVE OPEN THE

QUESTION OF YOUR OWN ATTENDANCE. WE NEED TO KNOW WHEN THE

FIRST APRIL ROUND OF TALKS IS LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE AND TO ASSESS THE POSITION BOTH IN PEKING AND HONG KONG NEARER THE TIME IN ORDER TO DECIDE WHERE YOU ARE LIKELY TO BE MOST NEEDED.

HOWE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

ED/PLANNING STAFF

/PUSD

D/ED/PUSD

PES B. (MR WALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER (SIR IAN SINCLAIR

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/R LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

SIR W HARDING

SIR WILSON

1 TRAIGHT

STR C TICKELL

COPIES TO:

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXOSEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS

IETS D

HR BUEROWS LEGAL ADVS

MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST

MIS VÄRITION ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE

ME GOODALL

CABINET OFFICE

MR BRENNAN CABINET OFFICE

PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE D

PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

SIR P CRADOCK RH K195

8IR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET

SEORET