SECRET
Than419
LEAD
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
04040/14
3 September 1984"
761
Jear Charles,
Future of Hong Kong: EXCO Visit to London
As you know, before the Prime Minister postponed her trip to South East Asia, it had been intended that EXCO should visit London and see her on 12 September.
We had always considered this date earlier than was desirable, since it seems likely that we shall still be locked in combat in Peking then. However, if the initialling is to take place in the last week of September the EXCO visit to London would have to take place at the latest in the week beginning 17 September. The Foreign Secretary is away from 17-19 September, which leaves 20 and 21 September. I should be grateful if you could let me know whether the Prime Minister could see EXCO on either of these days, and if so whether the fact of the forthcoming visit and the call at No 10 can be made public. It will otherwise leak.
The only slight drawback to this timing is that if the Prime Minister wishes to put the final text of the agreement to Cabinet before initialling, this would have to be done on 20 September, and thus before she has seen EXCO. As you will have seen, the Governor has represented that the call should therefore take place by 19 September. This will not be possible, given the Foreign Secretary's not in any case think that it is an insuperable obstacle, since
If EXCO's views will already be known to us before they come. absolutely necessary, and if the Prime Minister wished, it would be possible to circulate copies of the Agreement to the Cabinet after EXCO's visit.
乍
absence.
Yen ever
(P F Ricketts)
Private Secretary
But we do
Petir Debetts
C D Powell Esq
10 Downing Street
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