TNAG-1895-FCO40-2689-Visit-by-William-Ehrman--Political-Adviser-of-the-Hong-Kong--1989 — Page 6

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB

026 124

034500

MDLIAN 6802

FM PEKING

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1791

OF 09060OZ OCTOBER 89

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

Am

HONG KONG FOR POLITICAL ADVISER.

о

HONG KONG TELNO 3326 TO F C O.

POLITICAL ADVISER: VISIT TO PEKING.

TOP COPY

Q DIST ?

1 I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THE PROPOSED VISIT

Tel out

да вам

11/10

ALTHOUGH THE WEEK

OF 30 OCTOBER IS NOT AN EASY ONE FOR ME. RICHARD EVANS IS STAYING WITH ME UP TO THE 29TH AND LAWRENCE MIDDLETON (OF SEOUL) UNTIL THE

31ST. AND I LEAVE FOR TOKYO MYSELF ON 1 NOVEMBER. IT WOULD BE BEST FROM MY POINT OF VIEW IF EHRMAN COULD ARRIVE ON 29 OCTOBER OR EARLY ON THE 30TH: THEN I WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE HIM BEFORE LEAVING FOR TOKYO AND COULD INCLUDE HIM IN SOME ENTERTAINMENT

·

I AM PLANNING FOR THE EARLY PART OF THAT WEEK. I AM AFRAID THERE WOULD NOT BE ROOM FOR HIM TO STAY AT THE HOUSE BUT WE WOULD BE

HAPPY TO BOOK A GOOD HOTEL NEARBY.

2. I STRONGLY ADVISE CAUTION AND A LIGHT TOUCH IN HANDLING THIS

VISIT WITH THE CHINESE. IN THE PRESENT CLIMATE NOTHING CAN BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED, NOT EVEN THAT THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS WILL BE WILLING TO RECEIVE EHRMAN IN PEKING. I SUGGEST HE SHOULD

PRESENT HIS VISIT AS AN INTRODUCTORY AND EXPLORATORY ONE, AND AVOID SPELLING OUT (AT LEAST TO START WITH) THE ISSUES HE WANTS TO RAISE.

IF NECESSARY SOME GENERAL FORMULA COULD BE USED ABOUT REVIEWING

ISSUES OF CURRENT CONCERN IN THE JLG AND IN HONG KONG. IT WOULD

IN FACT BE PRUDENT TO RESERVE OUR OWN JUDGEMENT ON THE AGENDA AND HOW TO APPROACH VARIOUS ITEMS UNTIL NEARER THE TIME. SEVERAL

TOPICS (NOTABLY VPBS) COULD TAKE ON QUITE A DIFFERENT COLOUR BY THE

END OF THE MONTH AS A RESULT OF CHINESE RETALIATION OVER YANG YANG.

I AGREE THAT IN ANY CASE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS BEST AVOIDED.

3.

FOR BOTH SUBSTANCE AND PRESENTATION'S SAKE I SUGGEST EHRMAN

SHOULD INCLUDE IN HIS VISIT A COUPLE OF CALLS OF MORE GENERAL

INTEREST, E.G. ON MOFERT AND/OR CITIC TO DISCUSS CHINA/HONG KONG TRADE AND ON THE WESTERN EUROPEAN SIDE OF THE MFA. WE COULD

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