495
GRS 220
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 3747
NFIDENTIAL
HKK
OF 12044OZ NOVEMBER 86
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
011/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
13 NO 1986
REGISTRY
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
Action Taken
A90
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
..
PERSONAL FOR HUM, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT FROM GOVERNOR
YOUR TELNOS 2531-2: EXCHANGES WITH THE CHINESE ON HONG KONG
AND MY TRAVEL PLANS
1. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S AGREEMENT TO THE TIMETABLE SET OUT IN SECOND TUR.
2. I THINK I CAN SAFELY ASSURE THE SECRETARY OF STATE THAT MY VISITS TO PEKING WILL NOT BE SEEN IN HONG KONG IN THE WAY THAT HE FEARS. PEOPLE HERE WILL ACCEPT THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN MAINTAINING CLOSE CONTACT WITH CHINESE LEADERS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF LOCAL CONCERNS. IF ANYTHING, MANY WOULD WISH ME TO DO THIS MORE EMPHATICALLY AND OVERTLY.
3. A SECOND POINT IS THAT VISITS BY ME TO PEKING IN MARCH AND OCTOBER WOULD BE CLEARLY SEEN AS CONNECTED WITH THE PUBLICATION OF THE GREEN AND WHITE PAPERS RESPECTIVELY. WE ARE UNLIKELY TO AVOID THIS WHATEVER WE DO, BUT IT WOULD HELP IF THE VISITS COULD BE PRESENTED AS PART OF A REGULAR SERIES. IT IS, OF COURSE, THE CASE THAT I WILL WISH TO DISCUSS IN PEKING SUBJECTS OTHER THAN THE 1987 REVIEW, NOTABLY ISSUES WHICH ARE ARISING IN THE DRAFTING OF
THE BASIC LAW.
4. WHILE, THEREFORE, I AGREE THAT WE NEED MAKE NO FIRM DECISION NOW. I WOULD PREFER AT THIS STAGE NOT TO RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A VISIT IN OR AROUND JUNE, DEPENDING OF COURSE ON DEVELOPMENTS AND IN PARTICULAR ON OUR SUCCESS IN SETTING UP MEETINGS BETWEEN
THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND WU XUEQIAN.
5. TURNING TO MY VISITS TO LONDON, I WOULD LIKE WHENEVER POSSIBLE TO ANNOUNCE THEM A REASONABLE TIME IN ADVANCE. I SUGGEST THAT WE AIM TO ANNOUNCE THE JANUARY ONE EITHER JUST BEFORE OR SOON AFTER THE CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS. WE WILL SEND A DRAFT PRESS
RELEASE NEARER THE TIME.
CONFIDENTIAL
16.
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