TNAG-1299-FCO40-1655-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 140

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CONFIDENTIAL

DESKEY 171000Z

FM HONG KONG 17091OZ APR 04

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELEGRAM NUMBER 309 OF 17 APRIL

INFO WASHINGTON FCO

HIK 027/20

17 APR 1984

DER

F

BW 18

FOR GOVERNOR AND PRIVATE SECRETARY FROM POLITICAL ADVISER

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: SENATOR HOWARD BAKER

ૐ

500 (266

267

CORDRY

GS

1. THE US CONSUL-GENERAL HAS TELEPHONED TO SAY THAT SENATOR HOWARD

BAKER, THE HEAD OF THE MAJORITY GROUP IN THE US SENATE, WILL

BE IN HONG KONG FROM 1800 TOMORROW 18 APRIL UNTIL 1630 ON FRIDAY

20 APRIL. HE HAS ASKED FOR A MEETING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

2. LEVIN SAID HE FULLY REALISED THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE WOULD ONLY BE SPENDING A SHORT TIME IN HONG KONG AND THAT HIS PROGRAMME WAS VERY CROWDED. BUT HE FELT BOUND TO PASS ON THE REQUEST GIVEN MR BAKER'S POSITION IN THE SENATE AND HIS CLOSENESS TO PRESIDENT

REAGAN.

3. IN CONSIDERING THIS REQUEST THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO BEAR IN MIND THAT HE HAS ALREADY TURNED DOWN THE

POSSIBILITY OF A MEETING WITH THE AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER,

WHO IS ALSO DUE TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG TOMORROW (FCC TELNO 224 TO

CANBERRA). IN PRACTICE THE ONLY FEASIBLE TIME FOR A MEETING WOULD

PRODABLY BE BREAKFAST ON FRIDAY 20 APRIL.

HADDON-CAVE

LIMITED

NKD

FED NAD

FOCOLD

PROTOCOLD

PS

MR WILSON

disth amended

17/4.

AS REQUESTED)

CONFIDENTIAL