TNAG-1749-FCO40-2468-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 110

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 26080OZ FCO

TELNO 2014

OF 260345Z MAY 88

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TOP COPY @ DIST 7

PERSONAL FOR HUM

FROM GOVERNOR

YOUR TELNO 1359: SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT: MEETING WITH EXCO

1 I AM SORRY THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS BEEN ALARMED BY MY TELEGRAMS ON HIS MEETING WITH EXCO ON 30 MAY. THE PURPOSE OF THESE WAS SIMPLY TO WARN HIM ABOUT THE SUBJECTS THAT WOULD BE RAISED BY THE NON-OFFICIAL MEMBERS. THIS FORMAT IS IN FACT STANDARD PRACTICE FOR MEETINS BETWEEN EXCO AND FCO MINISTERS. EVEN THOUGH THE SECRETARY OF STATE MAY NOT HAVE REALISED IT, HIS PREVIOUS MEETINGS WITH EXCO WERE INDEED PREPARED IN ADVANCE IN THIS WAY. BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT PROCEEDINGS WILL BE SCRIPTED AND STAGE-MANAGED, NOR THAT THERE WILL BE NO SPONTANEITY IN DISCUSSION. IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE QUITE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO REPLY AND SPEAK AS COMES NATURALLY RATHER THAN FROM A WRITTEN TEXT.

2. I WOULD OF COURSE BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE SECRETARY

OF STATE AFTER HIS ARRIVAL.

WILSON

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

24

LIMITED

HKD

PS

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

24

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PS/MRS CHALKER

MR MCLAREN

1

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL

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