TNAG-1635-FCO40-2251-Overseas-visits-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-1988 — Page 96

OCMIAN 7908

CONFIDENTIAL

OO HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

101430Z APR

GRS 240

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 1047

OF 101430Z APRIL 87

INFO ROUTINE BANGKOK

CONFIDENTIAL

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47908 - 1

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NSCEIVED IN RENTRY

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14 APR 1337

OFFICER

FROM HKD

MEETING BETWEEN SECRETARY OF STATE AND WU IN BANGKOK ON 21 APRIL:

ANNOUNCEMENT

1.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE PLANS TO GIVE INTERVIEWS TO

REUTERS, THE BBC AND OTHER MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES ON 14 AND 15

APRIL TO BRIEF THEM ON THE BACKGROUND TO HIS VISIT TO THAILAND

AND AUSTRALASIA BETWEEN 20 AND 27 APRIL. WE ARE INCLINED TO THINK ON BALANCE THAT THERE WOULD BE ADVANTAGE IN HIS MENTIONING

HIS FORTHCOMING MEETING WITH WU IN A LOW-KEY WAY. (WE ARE

UNLIKELY TO BE ABLE TO CONCEAL THE MEETING ALTOGETHER, AS THERE

WILL BE CONSIDERABLE MEDIA PRESENCE IN BANGKOK. AND REACTIONS IN

HONG KONG TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE BERNE MEETING SEEM TO HAVE

BEEN FAIRLY MEASURED.)

2.

WE HAVE IN MIND THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE WOULD SAY

MERELY THAT DURING HIS VISIT TO BANGKOK HE WILL BE TAKING THE

OPPORTUNITY ONCE AGAIN TO MEET WU, WHO WILL ALSO BE ATTENDING

ESCAP: THAT THIS WILL BE PART OF REGULAR CONTACTS AT MINISTERIAL

AND OTHER LEVELS BETWEEN THE UK AND CHINA, AND THAT INTERNATIONAL AND BILATERAL MATTERS OF COMMON INTEREST, INCLUDING HONG KONG,

WILL BE DISCUSSED.

3.

IF HONG KONG AGREE, GRATEFUL IF PEKING WOULD PUT THIS

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