TNAG-1747-FCO40-2466-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 135

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FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HUM, HKD

YOUR TELNOS 1430 AND 1465: VISIT TO HONG KONG BY THE SECRETARY OF

STATE

1.

THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION IN SECOND TUR. WE HAVE GIVEN

THE PROGRAMME FURTHER THOUGHT. WE AGREE WITH YOUR IDENTIFICATION OF THE UNAVOIDABLE FIXTURES, AND WITH YOUR SUGGESTED EMPHASIS ON HONG KONG'S RAPID DEVELOPMENT.

2.

BEFORE WE SUBMIT AGAIN TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS YOU MAY HAVE, TOGETHER WITH A FULLER VERSION OF THE PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME IN FIRST TUR (WITH TIMINGS) AND ANY COMMENTS ON THE POINTS BELOW. WE SHOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE SOME OPTIONS IN A REVISED PROGRAMME TO GIVE THE SECRETARY OF

STATE A GREATER ELEMENT OF CHOICE.

3.

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

OUR COMMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

YOU WILL NOW KNOW THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS LIKELY TO

ARRIVE AFTER DINNER ON 29 MAY. WE ASSUME THAT YOU WOULD

PROPOSE TO OFFER HIM NO MORE THAN A QUIET DRINK BEFORE BED: WE NOTE THAT YOU ENVISAGE TWO QUITE LENGTHY HELICOPTER TRIPS, ONE ON THE AFTERNOON OF 30 MAY AND ONE ON THE MORNING OF 31 MAY. WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO AMALGAMATE THE TWO BY INCLUDING TAI PO INDUSTRIAL ESTATE ON 30 MAY? THE

SECRETARY OF STATE COULD VIEW TAI PO NEW TOWN FROM THE AIR,

BUT PERHAPS NOT VISIT IT AT STREET LEVEL:

THIS WOULD PERMIT THE LATE MORNING SLOT ON 31 MAY TO BE

USED FOR A VISIT TO THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC. WE LIKE

THIS IDEA, WITH ITS ACCENT ON YOUTH AND TRAINING FOR HONG

KONG'S FUTURE:

.

MORE GENERALLY PRIVATE OFFICE HAVE SUGGESTED THAT ANY

HELICOPTER TRIP MIGHT BE BROKEN UP BY LANDINGS WHERE THERE

IS A VIEW OR AN INTERESTING SITE TO VISIT. (B) WOULD

ASSIST THIS:

THERE IS NO SPECIFIC REFERENCE IN THE PROGRAMME IN FIRST

TUR TO PARTICIPATION BY REPRESENTATIVES OF LOCAL BUSINESS

INTERESTS. CAN WE ASSUME THAT THEY WILL BE SUITABLY REPRESENTED AT THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE DINNER? MORE

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