TNAG-1635-FCO40-2251-Overseas-visits-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-1988 — Page 63

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TOP COPY Q DIST ?

(48

OCMIAN 9080

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RR PEKIN

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

16100OZ APR

GRS 307

HIB

27/9

21 APR 1287

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FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 1091

OF 16100OZ APRIL 87

INFO ROUTINE PEKING

SECRETARY OF STATE'S INTERVIEW WITH BBC EXTERNAL SERVICES:

VISIT TO THAILAND, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

49080

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FOLLOWING IS EXTRACT OF TEXT OF INTERVIEW GIVEN BY THE

SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE BBC EXTERNAL SERVICES ON 14 APRIL.

QUOTE

INT: I UNDERSTAND SIR GEOFFREY. THAT YOU WILL ALSO IN BANGKOK BE

HAVING A MEETING WITH YOUR CHINESE COLLEAGUE, MR WU XUEQIAN.

WILL THAT BE TO REVIEW REGIONAL ISSUES OR ALSO TO TALK ABOUT THE

MOSCOW VISIT OR TO GO OVER AGAIN THE LATEST GROUND OF HONG KONG?

ALTHOUGH OF COURSE YOU MET IN SWITZERLAND ONLY RECENTLY TO

DISCUSS THAT LAST POINT.

SIR GEOFFREY: I THINK WE SHALL BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THAT WHOLE

RANGE OF QUESTIONS. MR WU XUEQIAN AND I TRY TO SEE EACH OTHER

WHENEVER WE ARE IN REASONABLE PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER. I AM SURE

THAT THE OUTCOME OF MY RECENT MOSCOW VISIT WILL BE ONE OF THE

THINGS WE SHALL BE WANTING TO DISCUSS MOST OF ALL, BECAUSE OF THE

IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE SOVIET UNION AND THE PEOPLE'S

REPUBLIC OF CHINA. WE SHALL DISCUSS REGIONAL QUESTIONS AND OF

COURSE BRING OURSELVES UP TO DATE ON HONG KONG AS WELL.

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