CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 060745Z FCO
TELNO 3673
OF 06064OZ NOVEMBER 89
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
нив 02612
?
147134 MDHIAN 3079
150
PERSONAL FOR/PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR
MY TELNO 3668: VISIT TO LONDON
I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE RIGHT FOR ME TO BE
IN LONDON AT THE SAME TIME AS THE OMELCO DELEGATION.
THEY WILL WANT TO DO THEIR OWN LOBBYING IN THEIR OWN STYLE.
IT WOULD NOT MAKE SENSE FOR ME TO JOIN THEM. AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD LOOK ODD HERE IF I WAS PURSUING A SEPARATE PROGRAMME. THERE IS ALSO THE QUESTION OF PRESS HANDLING. I DO NOT WISH CONSTANTLY TO BE PUT ON THE SPOT TO SAY WHETHER OR NOT I TAKE THE SAME VIEW AS WHATEVER THE OMELCO GROUP HAVE JUST BEEN SAYING TO THE MEDIA.
2. THIS IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THE WEEK BEGINNING 20 NOVEMBER IS THE ONLY ONE DURING WHICH I CAN CONVENIENTLY LEAVE HONG KONG SINCE IT WAS ORIGINALLY RESERVED FOR A PEKING VISIT. NEVERTHELESS I CANNOT REASONABLY PERSUADE THE OMELCO GROUP TO ALTER THEIR PLANS SINCE THESE CENTRE ROUND THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEBATE SCHEDULED FOR 23 OR 24 NOVEMBER.
3. OF THE ALTERNATIVES OF GOING BEFORE OR AFTER THE OMELCO WEEK, I WOULD PREFER TO GO BEFORE. BY CANCELLING A NUMBER OF ENGAGEMENTS I COULD ARRANGE TO LEAVE HONG KONG ON THE EVENING OF TUESDAY 14 NOVEMBER, ARRIVING ON THE MORNING OF 15 NOVEMBER. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE REMAINDER OF 15 NOVEMBER FOR MEETINGS IN THE OFFICE AT OFFICIAL LEVEL, AND EITHER 16 OR 17 NOVEMBER, OR BOTH, FOR MEETINGS WITH MINISTERS. I WOULD PREFER IF POSSIBLE NOT/NOT TO HAVE IMPORTANT MEETINGS WITH MINISTERS SCHEDULED FOR IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY ARRIVAL ON 15 NOVEMBER. I WOULD THEN PLAN TO LEAVE FOR HONG KONG EITHER AT 6PM ON FRIDAY 17 NOVEMBER OR ON SATURDAY.
4"
GRATEFUL TO KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHETHER A VISIT WITH THIS TIMING WOULD BE CONVENIENT TO YOU AND TO MINISTERS. IF I AM TO COME THEN, I MUST MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO CANCEL EXISTING APPOINTMENTS VERY QUICKLY. WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO GET ME A REPLY DESKBY 07010OZ?
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