SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3750
OF 13053OZ NOVEMBER 89
SECRET
HKB 026 I
120
132
172357
MDHIAN 4151
Q DIG?
PERSONAL FOR PAUL HKD: FROM GOVERNOR
131
YOUR TELNO. 2272 : SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HK
MIFT CONTAINS A DRAFT OUTLINE PROGRAMME FOR SECRETARY OF STATE'S
VISIT.
2. I HAVE WORKED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BY THAT
TIME HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE AND THAT THE ORDERLY
RETURN OF NON-VOLUNTEERS TO VIETNAM WILL HAVE BEGUN. IF SO I WOULD
LIKE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE TO LOWER THE PROFILE OF BOTH THESE ISSUES IN
THE PROGRAMME. IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE WE WILL HAVE TO RETHINK.
3. THE AIM OF THE PROGRAMME WILL BE TO FAMILIARISE THE SECRETARY OF
STATE AS THOROUGHLY AS POSSIBLE WITH RECENT PHYSICAL AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG, TO GET A FEEL FOR THE ATMOSPHERE AFTER THE NATIONALITY ANNOUCEMENT AND TO MATCH NAMES WITH THE FACES OF PRINCIPAL PLAYERS. AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT HE SHOULD BE SEEN TO BE SEEING HONG KONG. HENCE THE EMPHASIS ON OUTSIDE VISITS ON THE MONDAY MORNING (SERIAL 5), THE COMMUNITY LUNCH (SERIAL 6) AND THE VISIT TO A DISTRICT BOARD IN SESSION THE SAME AFTERNOON
(SERIAL 7). THIS LAST ITEM WOULD BE A REGULAR MEETING AND, BAR
COURTESIES, NOT AN OCCASION FOR SET PIECE ADDRESSES.
4. THE PRE-DINNER MEETING WITH OMELCO AND WORKING DINNER (SERIALS 8
AND 9) ARE A WELL ESTABLISHED FORMULA FOR EXCHANGING VIEWS. SIMILARLY
THE MEETING WITH EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (SERIAL 10). ALL THESE ARE BOTH
USEFUL AND VIRTUALLY INDISPENSIBLE. THE MEETING WITH A CROSS-SECTION
OF THE CIVIL SERVICE (SERIAL 11) IS NOT, BUT I THINK IT USEFUL ON THIS OCCASION TO GAUGE MORALE POST ANNOUNCEMENT AND TO SHOW
THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE TAKES A DIRECT AND PERSONAL INTEREST IN
THE WELFARE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE. SIR GEOFFREY HOWE'S ADDRESS TO
HEADS OF. DEPARTMENTS IN THE WAKE OF TIENANMEN WAS HELPFUL IN MORALE TERMS, BUT DID NOT PROVIDE A SUITABLE FORUM FOR GENUINE DIALOGUE.
5. AS REGARDS OCCASIONS FOR SPEECHES, THE CHOICE IS BETWEEN AN ADDRE- SS TO A BROAD CROSS-SECTION OF THE CUMMUNITY AND AN ADDRESS TO
PAGE
SECRET
1
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.