TNAG-1462-FCO40-1988-Visits-by-Chinese-officials-to-the-UK--including-visit-by-Hu-1986 — Page 106

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Любов

Asuta

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Cr+25+

21 20/4 pa

p'ouse

48

conis

THI

24/10

Western European Department

23 April 1986

From:

30 APR 1986

Date:

cc:

Mr Hum, HKD

AGB

Mr Ratford

Mr Masefield, FED

Mr Ford, ECD(I)

Miss Bailes, Planning Staff

Mr. Cleghorn, Defence Dept

SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING WITH THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER ON 23 MAY

Problem

1. What other meeting should the Secretary of State undertake as cover for his meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister.

Recommendation

2.

I recommend seeking a call on the Belgian Prime Minister, Mr Martens.

ECD(I) agree.

Background

3. Mr Culshaw's minutes of 9 and 14 April. I had earlier suggested

to FED that the Secretary of State might seek a meeting with Mr Martens

or possibly the Foreign Minister, Mr Tindemans, as cover for his meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister. A meeting with the Belgians could

be as effective for cover purposes as a meeting with Lord Carrington

and could be intrinsically useful in view of the Belgian Presidency

of the Community which follows our own. I am confident that this

proposal would have Mr Petrie's full support. I notice from Sir David

Hannay's letter of 21 April to Mr Lavelle at the Treasury that there is

a need for an early effort to try and tie Belgium into the "Northern"

camp for the coming Community budget meetings.

1. In view of the tremendous frequency of meetings between EC Foreign

Ministers I hesitate to push for a bilateral with Tindemans. Subject

/to

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