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DD 230100Z PEKING
GRS 340
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FM FCO 22162OZ MAR 84
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 250 OF 22 MARCH 1984
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
YOUR TEL NO 244: FUTURE OF HONG KONG:
TO CHINA.
-8027
HKK 02712
23 MAR 1934
SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT
1. WE REALISE THAT THE CHINESE ARE BEING RIGID ON THIS, BUT WE
ARE CONCERNED THAT IF WE END UP WITH THE COMPROMISE OF A VISIT
FROM 16-18 APRIL, THIS WOULD BE UNFAIR TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE
SINCE HE WOULD NEED TO FIT IN A LARGE NUMBER OF IMPORTANT DISCUS-
SIONS AND WOULD HAVE TO START WORK IMMEDIATELY ON ARRIVAL ON THE
MONDAY MORNING HAVING FLOWN ALL NIGHT. WE HOPE THAT YOU CAN
THEREFORE GO BACK TO ZHOU AND EMPHASISE THAT, FROM A PRACTICAL
POINT OF VIEW, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
COULD ARRIVE ON 15 APRIL. THIS WOULD ENABLE HIM TO REST AND
PREPARE FOR MEETINGS ON THE 16TH. HE WOULD NOT WANT THIS TO
INVOLVE ELABORATE MEETING ARRANGEMENTS AT THE AIRPORT AND IF A
WELCOMING BANQUET WERE IN QUESTION THIS COULD TAKE PLACE ON THE
16TH. WU THEREFORE NEED NOT BE PERSONALLY INVOLVED UNTIL THE 16TH
2. WE SHOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL FOR ANYTHING WHICH YOU CAN DO
URGENTLY TO IMPRESS UPON ZHOU THE NEED FOR PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS
WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR AT LEAST 48 HOURS OF SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSIONS
IN PEKING AND WOULD ENABLE THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO BE PROPERLY
PREPARED FOR THEM.
3.
WE SEE NO POSSIBILITY OF ALTERING THE ORDER OF VISITS.
THE CONSIDERATIONS WHICH WE HAVE EARLIER TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT
STILL APPLY. MOREOVER THE SECRETARY OF STATE CLEARLY MUST GO
TO HONG KONG BEGIN UNDERLINING AFTER CEASE UNDERLINING HIS VISIT
TO CHINA AND THERE WOULD NOT BE TIME TO FIT IN VISITS TO
HONG KONG AT BOTH ENDS OF THE LEG.
4.
YOU WERE OF COURSE RIGHT TO SAY THAT THE SECRETARY OF
STATE DOES NOT WISH TO VISIT ANY OTHER CITY THAN PEKING. AS
KRY
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