TNAG-1339-FCO40-1771-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 27

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17 DEC 1984

GRS 175

CONFIDENTIAL

DESK BY PEKING 17040OZ

DESKBY FCO

17090CZ

FM HONG KONG 170305Z DEC 84

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1435 OF 17 DECEMBER

INFO IMMEDIATE F C O

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DESS

INDEX

PA

MY TELNO 1429 : PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT : ADMINISTRATIVE

ARRANGEMENTS.

и

1. NCNA HAVE THIS MORNING TOLD US THAT IT WILL NOT (NOT) BE

POSSIBLE FOR MATTEWS AND NAZARETH TO BE ACCOMMODATED WITH THE

OBSERVERS SINCE THERE IS APPARENTLY NO ROOM AT THE HOTEL WHERE

THE GROUP WILL BE STAYING. THEY HAVE SUGGESTED THAT WE MAKE OTHER

ARRANGEMENTS. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SAY WHETHER MATTHEWS

AND NAZARTH WILL BE INCLUDED IN PROGRAMME EVENTS FOR THE OBSERVERS.

2. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD SPEAK AGAIN TO THE MFA,

STRESSING THE AWKWARDNESS WHICH WOULD ARISE IF MATTHEWS AND

NAZARETH WERE NOT TO BE PROPERLY LOOKED AFTER WHILE IN PEKING.

THE EASIEST SOLUTION, AS WE SEE IT, REMAINS THAT PROPOSED IN MY TUR 1.E. TO TREAT THEM AS THOUGH THEY WERE MEMBERS OF THE OBSERVERS GROUP EXCEPT FOR THE SIGNATURE CEREMONY. THE ONLY SATISFACTORY ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE FOR THEM TO STAY AT THE DIAOYUTAI WITH THE

PRIME MINISTER'S PARTY.

3. WE MUST LEAVE IT TO YOU TO FIND A PRACTICABLE SOLUTION. IT

WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD TELEGRAPH THE OUTCOME TO REACH

HERE DESKBY 18003OZ SO THAT MATTHEWS AND NAZARETH CAN BE INFORMED

BEFORE DEPARTURE.

YOUDE

LIMITED

HKD

FED

PROTOCOLD

MR WILSON

en