GRS 250
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKEY PEKING 16043OZ
CONFIDENTIAL
442
HKK 040/57
RECEIVEL
Aculcini
2 0 DEC 1934
TOP
INDE
FM HONG KONG 16030OZ DEC 84
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1431 OF 16 DECEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE F CO
-415
YOUR TELNO 3000 : PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT : SIGNATURE CEREMONY : HONG KONG ATTENDENCE.
1. WE CAN ACCEPT AS A REASONABLE COMPROMISE THE CHINESE PLAN TO PLACE THE 5 EXCO UNOFFICIALS AND ONE OR TWO OF THE LEGCO MEMBERS' IN THE FRONT ROW OF THE OBSERVERS. BUT SEE ALSO PARA 3 BELOW.
2. BRAY IS A MEMBER OF EXCO AND THE SENIOR OFFICIAL AMONG THE OBSERVERS. PLEASE ASK THE CHINESE TO ENSURE THAT HE IS PLACED IN THE FRONT ROW, TOGETHER WITH DAVIES AND CHAN. THERE IS ALSO A STRONG CASE FOR PLACING ERIC HO (SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY) IN THE FRONT ROW AS THE MOST SENIOR LOCAL OFFICER IN THE HONG KONG PUBLIC SERVICE.
2. IF THE FRONT ROW IS TO INCLUDE SOME 40 PEOPLE (PARA 4 OF YOUR TELNO 2997) AND THE NUMBER OF UMELCO MEMBERS AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IS TO BE LIMITED TO 10 OR 11, IT WOULD BE REASONABLE TO ASK THE CHINESE WHO ELSE THEY INTEND TO PLACE THERE. NO DOUBT THEY WILL WANT NPC AND CPPCC MEMBERS TO BE GIVEN PROMINENCE, TOGETHER WITH SENIOR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAO OFFICE. OUR AIM SHOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT, IN ADDITION TO UMELCO MEMBERS AND OFFICIALS, A REASONABLE PROPORTION OF THE FRONT ROW IS TAKEN UP BY PERSONS RECOGNIZED IN HONG KONG AS PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE E.G. THE CHAIRMEN OF THE MAJOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS AND OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, AND THE VICE CHANCELLORS OF THE TWO UNIVERSITIES. THERE SHOULD BE NO DIFFICULTY ABOUT THIS, SINCE ALL THE PEOPLE IN QUESTION WERE COMMON TO BOTH SIDE'S LISTS.
4. LU PING WAS DUE TO RETURN TO PEKING YESTERDAY (PARA 9 OF YOUR TELNO 2997 REFERS). WE WILL HOWEVER BE MAKING THE ABOVE POINTS TO NCNA AT A MEETING WITH THEN THIS MORNING TO DISCUSS ARRANGEMENTS FOR PUBLICIZING THE OBSERVERS'S NAME LIST.
YOUDE
LIMITED
FED SIR W HARDING
HKD
MR WILSON
PROTOCOL D
NEWS D
PLANNING STAFF
PS
COPIES TO:
PS/NO 10 DOWNING STREET
SIR P CRADOCK K195
SIR P CRADOCK
NO 10 DOWNING STREET
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
CONFIDENTIAL
443
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