TNAG-1338-FCO40-1770-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 34

5. OTHERS SHOULD ATTEND AS OBSERVERS, (INCLUDING DAVIES) AMONG THE

OBSERVERS WE WOULD WISH:

(A) PRIDE OF PLACE TO BE GIVEN TO THE TWO SENIOR UNOFFICIALS (WITH UNOFFICIAL COUNCIL MEMBERS IF THEY ATTEND):

(B) THE POSITION OF OTHER OFFICIALS ON THE BRITISH SIDE (WHETHER FROM LONDON OR HONG KONG) SHOULD MATCH THAT OF OTHER OFFICIALS ON

THE CHINESE SIDE:

(C) THERE SHOULD BE A REPRESENTATIVE SELECTION OF OTHER INVITEES.

6. ON THE PARTICIPATION OF PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG OTHER THAN UNOFFIC- IALS OF THE COUNCIL AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IT IS DIFFICULT FOR US TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS UNTIL WE HAVE A CLEARER IDEA OF WHAT THE CHINESE HAVE IN MIND AND THE OVERALL NUMBERS THEY ARE THINKING OF HAVING PRESENT, (SEE MY TELNO 3606) WE ALSO NEED TO KNOW WHO WILL ISSUE INVITATIONS AND IN WHAT CAPACITY (E.G. WILL THE CHINESE ISSUE INVITATIONS AS HOSTS, OR WILL THIS BE DONE BY THE TWO DELEGATIONS. WE WILL WISH UNOFFICIALS TO APPEAR IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITY ETC.)

7. IT SEEMS TO ME THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE EMBASSY TO PRESS FOR A MORE SPECIFIC INDICATION OF WHAT THE CHINESE ARE PROPOSING TO DO. IN THE LIGHT OF THIS WE CAN MAKE MORE CONCRETE PROPOSALS. I MIGHT ALSO NOT COME AMISS TO REMIND THE CHENESE THAT THE CEREMONY WILL BE A JOINT ONE BETWEEN EQUALS. THE BRITISH SIDE MUST THEREFORE HAVE

AN EQUAL SAY IN THE ARRANGEMENTS.

8. I SHOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS PARA 5 ABOVE WITH SIR S Y CHUNG BEFORE

WE MAKE FIRM PROPOSALS TO THE CHINESE.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

HD/PROTOCOL

RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

CON

2

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 KR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE

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

CONFIDENTIAL