TNAG-1747-FCO40-2466-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 123

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FROM GOVERNOR

YOUR TELNO 1025: SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG.

1. MIFT CONTAINS A REVISED DRAFT PROGRAMME. AS WE HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT THOSE INVOLVED, THE TIMINGS MUST BE CONSIDERED AS INDICATIVE ONLY.

2. GRATEFUL TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY

CHANCE THE SECRET OF STATE

TAKING A LATER FLIGHT ON 31 MAY. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE OMELCO MEETING AND DINNER TO BE HELD AT A MORE CIVILISED TIME.

3. ON THE POINTS IN PARA 3 OF TUR:

(A) LATE ARRIVAL ON 29 MAY NOTED:

(B) THERE WILL NOT REALLY BE TIME ON THE AFTERNOON OF 30 MAY FOR A HELICOPTER TOUR PLUS TWO STOPS FOR VISITS. MY RECOMMENDATION

· REMAINS A TOUR (FOR A GENERAL OVER VIEW OF DEVELOPMENT AND TO BACK UP THE BRIEFING) PLUS A VISIT TO THE CONTAINER PORT:

(C) HK POLYTECHNIC NOW INCLUDED AS AN OPTION FOR THE MORNING OF 31 MAY. IF LORD GLENARTHUR IS TO VISIT THE TAI PO INDUSTRIAL ESTATE AND A NEW TOWN, I AGREE THAT THERE IS LESS NEED FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO DO THESE:

(D) AS YOU KNOW, THE VIEW FROM A HELICOPTER IS ALMOST INVERIABLY BETTER THAN ANY VIEW FROM GROUND LEVEL. BUT IF THERR WAS ANYTHING ELSE THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE WISHED TO VISIT ON THE AFTERNOON OF 31 MAY THAT COULD BE DONE RELATIVELY INFORMALLY AND QUICKLY, THIS COULD BE INCLUDED IN THE HELICOPTER TOUR:

THAT THEY BE

(E) I TAKE THE POINT ABOUT BUSINESSMENT AND SUGGEST INCLUDED IN THE GH DINNER. THE GUESTLIST MIGHT THEN COMPRISE: CS, FS,AG, SIR S Y CHUNG, MISS DUNN, THE 2 VICE-CHANCELLORS AND A SELECTION OF LOCAL BUSINESSMENT, ALL PLUSE SPOUSES WHERE APPROPRIATE, MAKING A TOTAL OF ABOUT 40:

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