TNAG-1635-FCO40-2251-Overseas-visits-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-1988 — Page 95

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YOUR TELNO 1047: MEETING WITH WU IN BANGKOK ON 21 APRIL : ANNOUNCEMENT

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IT IS OF COURSE POSSIBLE THAT THE NEWS OF A SECOND MEETING BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND WU WOULD AROUSE MORE INTEREST THAN DID THE BERNE MEETING. ON THE OTHER HAND, AS YOU POINT OUT, THE MEETING IS VERY LIKELY TO BECOME PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE ANYWAY: IF WE DID NOT ANNOUNCE IT, OR ONLY ANNOUNCED IT AFTER THE EVENT, THIS MIGHT LOOK MORE SUSPICIOUS TO THOSE WHO ARE INCLINED TO ARGUE THAT THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS ARE CONSPIRING BEHIND THE BACKS OF THE

PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

2. ON BALANCE, I AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO MENTION HIS PROPOSED MEETING WITH WU WHEN BE BRIEFS THE MEDIA. IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF THIS COULD BE DONE IN THE CONTEXT OF BILATERAL MEETINGS WITH MINISTERS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES IF

THESE ARE ALSO TAKING PLACE.

WILSON

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