TNAG-1890-FCO40-2683-Visits-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe-and-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretaries-1989 — Page 36

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2111

OF 27120OZ JUNE 89

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB 026/20 TOP COP

Q DIST ?

62

056445

MDHIAN 1235

PERSONAL FOR PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR

VISIT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE: MEETING WITH EXCO

-

1 AS YOU KNOW, THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS DUE TO MEET WITH EXCO AT 9.30 AM ON TUESDAY 4 JULY. THERE WILL BE TIME FOR US TO DISCUSS HOW HE WOULD WISH TO HANDLE THIS MEETING FOLLOWING HIS ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG. BUT HE MAY WELCOME A BRIEF INDICATION NOW OF HOW WE WOULD

PROPOSE TO STRUCTURE THE MEETING.

2. I ENVISAGE THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE WOULD WISH TO OPEN THE MEETING BY SAYING A FEW WORDS TO EXCO ON CURRENT EVENTS IN CHINA AND THEIR IMPACT IN HONG KONG PLUS HMG'S FIRM COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG. I WOULD THEN INVITE NON-OFFICIALS TO SPEAK. THEY WILL WANT TO SPEAK

MOSTLY ON THE CURRENT MOOD AND ON NATIONALITY. THEY ARE ALSO LIKELY TO SPEAK, MORE BRIEFLY, ON THE BASIC LAW, DEMOCRACY, AND VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. EACH SUBJECT WOULD PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO RESPOND AND FOR A SHORT DISCUSSION.

3. WE HAVE SCHEDULED AN HOUR FOR THE MEETING.

WILSON

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

33

LIMITED

HKD

NEWS DEPT

PS

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

33

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

1

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL