CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 011/3.
276
145657
MDHOAN 9056
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELNO 317
OF 121625Z APRIL 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
260
YOUR TELNO 604: FAC VISIT
1.
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE CLERK THAT AT THEIR MEETING TODAY THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE APPEARED GENERALLY SATISFIED WITH THE INFORMATION SO FAR AVAILABLE ABOUT THEIR PROGRAMME IN PEKING, BUT ALSO EXPRESSED THE VISIT TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF A CALL ON THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER. SUCH A CALL IS SEEN BY THE COMMITTEE AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THE CHINESE APPROACH TO HONG KONG IN A BROADER CONTEXT. GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD EXPLORE THIS POSSIBILITY ON
THEIR BEHALF.
2.
THE CLERK STRESSED THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD NOT WISH TO PRESS THE IDEA TOO HARD IF IT DID NOT MEET FAVOURABLE RESPONSE FROM THE CHINESE. IF A FORMAL CALL COULD NOT BE ARRANGED, THEY WONDER WHETHER IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO MEET THE FOREIGN MINISTER AT A SOCIAL EVENT EG. A BANQUET OR WORKING LUNCH. THE CLERK ADDED THAT DURING THEIR RECENT ENQUIRY INTO EASTERN EUROPE AND THE SOVIET UNION THE COMMITTEE HAD BEEN RECEIVED AT FOREIGN MINISTER LEVEL (AND INDEED BY HEADS OF STATE) IN SIX EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, ALTHOUGH NOT IN THE SOVIET UNION. THEY HAD ALSO BEEN RECEIVED BY THE US SECRETARY OF STATE WHEN THEY VISITED WASHINGTON DURING THEIR ENQUIRY ON ARMS CONTROL
3. GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD COPY YOUR REPLY TO HONG KONG SINCE THE COMMITTEE CLERKS WILL BE BASED IN HONG KONG FROM 13 APRIL.
HOWE
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
LIMITED
HKD
FED
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22
DISTRIBUTION
22
PRU
MR GILLMORE MR MCLAREN
1
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