TNAG-1338-FCO40-1770-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 237

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OF REMARKS ON HONG KONG, WHICH WOULD DETRACT FROM HER SPEECH AT THE BANQUET. WE THEREFORE THINK THAT WE SHOULD

AIM TO HAVE NO SPEECHES AT THE SIGNATURE AND TO JUSTIFY THIS BY POINTING TO THE FACT THAT THE PRIME MINISTER INTENDED TO MAKE A MAJOR SPEECH AT THE BANQUET. THE CHINESE MAY OF COURSE HAVE OTHER IDEAS. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS, AT THIS STAGE WITHOUT CONSULTING THE

CHINESE.

4. HONG KONG ONLY. YOU MAY TELL EXCO IN STRICT CONFIDENCE OF WHAT HAS BEEN DECIDED, WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT EXCO'S PREFERENCE FOR DATES BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

5. WE SHOULD WELCOME YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PRIME MINISTER'S PROGRAMME ON 21 DECEMBER. OUR PRELIMINARY THINKING IS THAT THE PROGRAMME MIGHT CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS:

A) A MEETING AND MEAL WITH THE UNOFFICIALS.

WE IMAGINE THAT THE

EXCO UNOFFICIALS WOULD STRONGLY FAVOUR THE PRIME MINISTER'S

THIS MIGHT BE PARTICIPATION IN A FORMAL MEETING OF EXCO.

FOLLOWED BY LUNCH WITH THE EXCO AND LEGCO UNOFFICIALS. ALTERNATIVELY BOTH THE MEETING AND THE MEAL MIGHT INVOLVE ALL THE

UNOFFICIALS.

B) A DINNER WITH THE WIDER COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY COMMUNITY

IF NECESSARY IT REPRESENTATIVES AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE A SEPARATE RECEPTION BEFORE THE DINNER. AT THIS POINT IN HONG KONG'S HISTORY IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE PRIME MINISTER TO MAKE A MAJOR SPEECH ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE, AND ON ITS PROSPECTS AS A BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL CENTRE. THE DINNER WOULD BE THE OBVIOUS OCCASION.

C) A BRIEF VISIT IN THE AFTERNOON.

THIS MIGHT BE

ANGLED TOWARDS HONG KONG'S OWN DEVELOPMENT OR TOWARDS BRITISH COMMERCIAL LINKS WITH THE TERRITORY (WE SHOULD WELCOME BTC'S VIEWS). ANOTHER POSSIBILITY MIGHT BE FOR THE PRIME MINISTER TO CALL AT A DISTRICT BOARD TO MEET MEMBERS AND TO BE BRIEFED ON

THEIR WORK.

D) A PRESS CONFERENCE (EARLY EVENING), WHICH WILL REQUIRE TIME FOR PREPARATION BEFOREHAND.

4.

IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO RECEIVE VIEW ON THE ABOVE BY 090900Z.

MOWE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR W HARD ING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

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COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT. LEGAL ADVISERS MR. BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET

OFFICE

MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE

SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195

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