TNAG-1339-FCO40-1771-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 159

298

GRS 300 CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY FCO 1209OOZ

DESKBY HONG KONG 12040OZ

FROM PEKING 12031OZ DEC 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2953 OF 12/12/84

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

FROM THOMSON

CONFIDENTIAL

296

210

HKK 040/57 ник

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

1 1 DEC 1984

DESK OFFICER FALE. RY

INDEX

PA

JAL

i Action Taken

14/12

17/12.

OUR TELNO 2952, HONG KONG TELNO 3768 AND TELECON MCLAREN THOMSON: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT: HONG KONG ATTENDANCE

1. SPOKE THIS MORNING TO LUO JIAHUAN TO PURSUE FINALISATION OF THE LIST OF HONG KONG OBSERVERS TO BE INVITED TO THE SIGNATURE CEREMONY, AND TO ASSURE HIM (IN ANSWER TO AN ENQUIRY

RECEIVED LAST NIGHT) THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN NO ACTION BEYOND THAT DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF HONG KONG TUR.

2. LUO SAID SOMEWHAT APOLOGETICALLY THAT HE HAD NOW ESTABLISHED THAT INVITATIONS HAD BEEN ISSUED ON 10 AND 11 DECEMBER TO ALL THOSE ON THE CHINESE REVISED LIST EXCEPT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS NAMED AND TO ALL THOSE ON OUR LIST EXCEPT LEE SHING-CHU AND J.P. LEE. IN VIEW OF OUR REPRESENTATIONS YESTERDAY THEY WOULD NOW ONLY INVITE THOS OFFICIALS ON OUR LIST, AND WOULD DROP THE FOUR ON THEIR LIST WHOSE DELETION WE HAD REQUESTED. THEY WOULD ALSO NOW INVITE THE FOUR UMELCO MEMBERS WHO WE HAD PROPOSED FOR INVITATION BUT WHO WERE NOT LAREADY ON THE CHINESE LIST. AS TO J.P. LEE, THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO INVITE HIM IF WE COULD GIVE THEM AN ADDRESS (GRATEFUL FOR DETAILS).

3. LUO REGRETTED THAT THE CHINESE SIDE FELT UNABLE TO WITHDRAW INVITATIONS TO OTHERS WHOM WE HAD PROPOSED FOR DELETION. I ASKED WHY THEY HAD GONE AHEAD WITH ISSUING INVITATIONS BEFORE THE LIST HAD BEEN AGREED BY BOTH SIDES. HE SAID, THEY HAD RECEIVED THE IMPRESSION THAT THE AMBASSADOR HAD NOT DISSENTED FROM THE CHINESE PROPOSALS PUT TO HIM IN THE TWO LISTS HANDED OVER ON 5 AND 7 DECEMBER. SAND I THOUGHT THERE HAD BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING. EVANS

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

MR J CROWLEY, PUSD

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

CONFIDENTIAL