TNAG-1339-FCO40-1771-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 73

GR 150

CONFIDENTIAL

DESK BY 14090OZ BOTH

FM HONG KONG 140746Z DEC 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3790 OF 14 DECEMBER

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

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HKV 040 57

17 DEC 1984

REGISTRY

Action Taken

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MIPT: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT: SIGNATURE CEREMONY.

1. THE CHINESE SUGGESTION THAT THE NUMBER OF THOSE STANDING IN THE BRITISH DELEGATION AT THE CEREMONY SHOULD BE INCREASED TO ABOUT 30 TO MATCH THOSE ON THE CHINESE SIDE CAUSES ME SOME CONCERN. I HAVE CONSISTENTLY ARGUED THAT, APART FROM THE SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S PARTY, OUR DELEGATION SHOULD BE CONFINED TO THOSE WHO PLAYED SOME ACTIVE PART IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. AS THINGS STAND THERE WILL BE ONLY FOUR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT: MYSELF, THE POLITICAL ADVISER, MATTHEWS AND NAZARETH. IF ADDITIONAL PEOPLE ARE TO BE ADDED AS MAKE-WEIGHTS, I RECOMMEND STRONGLY THAT SOME OF THOSE SHOULD BE FROM AMONG THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO WILL BE ATTENDING AS OBSERVERS. THE SECRETARY FOR GENERAL DUTIES AND THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS ARE TWO OBVIOUS CANDIDATES.

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CRADCLIC (2)

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MR WILSON

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