TNAG-1339-FCO40-1771-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 72

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17 DEC 1934

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DESKBY 1409OCZ BOTH

FM HONG KONG 140748Z DEC 24

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3791 OF 14 DECEMBER

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

Fromw

YOUR TELNO 1550 TO PEKING: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT: HONG KONG ATTENDANCE.

Y

Jon Taken

1. YOUR TEL UNDER REF SUGGESTS THAT IT WOULD CAUSE DIFFICULTIES'' IF ALL UMELCO MEMBERS ATTENDING THE CEREMONY WERE PLACED AHEAD OF ALL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR. I AM NOT CLEAR WITH WHOM THESE DIFFICULTIES WOULD ARISE. THERE IS A WELL ESTABLISHED AND WELL UNDERSTOOD PRECEDENCE LIST IN HONG KONG IN WHICH MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS ARE PLACED VERY HIGH AND AHEAD OF ALL THOSE INVITED TO ATTEND THE SIGNATURE CEREMONY OTHER THAN THE TWO BISHOPS. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE EMBASSY SHOULD STICK TO THE PRECEDENCE LIST ORDER AS FAR AS POSSIBLE IN DISCUSSING THE DETAILED SEATING OR STANDING ARRANGEMENTS.

YOUDE

LIMITED

HKD FED

PROTOCOL D NEWS D

MR winson

[REPEATED AS REQUESTEDĮ

COPIES ΤΟ

SIR

P CRADOCK.

CONFIDENTIAL