TNAG-1304-FCO40-1660-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 230

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4.

WE NEED ALSO TO DECIDE WHEN WE SHOULD APPROACH THE CHINESE

ON THIS IN ORDER TO SECURE A SLOT FOR A VISIT. ON BALANCE WE

THINK YOU SHOULD PROBABLY PUT IN A PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR

LONDON. ALTHOUGH THIS MIGHT MAKE THE CHINESE CLAM UP IN THE

NEGOTIATIONS DURING JULY THIS MAY WELL HAPPEN ANYWAY AND

KNOWLEDGE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S PLANS MIGHT ON THE OTHER

HAND DISCOURAGE THEM FROM UNHELPFUL PUBLIC OUTBURSTS. WE NEED

OF COURSE TO BEAR IN MIND MINISTERS' VIEW THAT WE SHOULD NOT

APPEAR TO BE SHIFTING OUR GROUND AT THIS POINT IN THE NEGOTIATION

BUT THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM PROVIDED THAT OUR PROPOSAL WAS

ACCOMPANIED BY A CLEAR REMINDER OF OUR REQUIREMENTS FOR A FULL

BINDING AGREEMENT.

5.

I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS ON THIS DESKBY 291200Z.

ON THIS BASIS WE CAN SEEK THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VIEWS AND SEND

YOU INSTRUCTIONS.

HOWE

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

LTD

HEAD HK DEPT

HEAD FED

SIR W HARDING

COPIES TO

SIR P CRADOCK

MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS

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SECRET FUTURE EGRET