TNAG-1748-FCO40-2467-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 320

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 1231

OF 12171OZ MAY 88

CONFIDENTIAL

HRB 027/3

тоб

010632 MDHOAN 5943

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HUM, HKD

1.

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: CONSERVATIVES ABROAD

THE HONG KONG BRANCH OF THE CONSERVATIVES ABROAD HAVE ASKED IF THEY CAN MEET THE SECRETARY OF STATE DURING HIS VISIT. THE SECRETARY OF STATE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO DO THIS IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, AND HOPES THAT AN HOUR CAN BE FOUND AT SOME STAGE IN THE PROGRAMME. THE USUAL FORMAT FOR THE OCCASION WOULD BE DRINKS WITH OFFICERS AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE LOCAL BRANCH.

2. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVICE ON HOW AND WHERE THIS MIGHT BEST BE FITTED IN. AT FIRST SIGHT THE ONLY POSSIBILITY SEEMS TO BE THE EVENING OF 3U MAY. I WONDER IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR THE BRIEFING AND DRINKS AT BTC TO BE COMPRESSED INTO AN HOUR, ALLOWING THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO GO ON TO A MEETING WITH THE CONSERVATIVES ABROAD AT A NEARBY VENUE. AN ALTERNATIVE, ALTHOUGH MUCH LESS SATISFACTORY, WOULD BE TO FIT IN A SLIGHTLY SHORTER ENCOUNTER LATE ON THE MORNING OF 31 MAY AND DELAY THE START OF LUNCH.

HOWE

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

34

ΜΑΙΝ

34

LIMITED

HKD

PRU

PROTOCOL DEPT

PS

PS/MRS CHALKER

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR TEASDALE

NNNN

1

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL