TNAG-1893-FCO40-2687-Visit-by-Francis-Maude--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1989 — Page 60

CONFIDENTIAL

MR MAUDE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG:

17-19 SEPTEMBER 1989

BRIEF NO 1: STEERING BRIEF

INTRODUCTION

1.

Mr Maude is visiting Hong Kong on 17-19 September. It is the

third visit to Hong Kong this year by an FCO Minister (Lord Glenarthur went on 8-10 January and Sir Geoffrey Howe on 2-4 July).

We have made it clear that the visit will not be an occasion for

policy statements and initiatives. But as the first member of the new FCO Ministerial team to visit Hong Kong, Mr Maude will be the

focus of considerable interest, and will come under much pressure on

the key issues, notably nationality and Vietnamese boat people.

THE MOOD IN HONG KONG

2. The Governor has sent us a telegram on the current mood in Hong Kong (Brief No 2). Confidence in Hong Kong has been badly bruised: although on the surface at least life in the territory is returning to normal, the underlying concerns and problems remain. The atmosphere of the visit will not be as emotionally charged as at the time of Sir Geoffrey Howe's visit. But feelings on the key issues

nevertheless run very deep.

OBJECTIVES

3.

Against this background, the objectives of the visit are:

(a) by paying an early visit to the territory, to reaffirm the

priority HMG attach to Hong Kong;

(b)

to demonstrate a willingness to listen to the views and

concerns of a wide cross section of Hong Kong people;

BEN ABM

CONFIDENTIAL

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