TNAG-2025-FCO40-2887-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Saudi-Arabia-1990 — Page 13

CONFIDENTIAL

136656

MDHIAN 8383

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

AMENDED DISTRIBUTION

-

111O3OZ

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2121

OF 090925Z JULY 90

INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, RIYADH, PEKING

HKB 020/24

EIVED

19 JEL 1990

CHINA/SAUDI ARABIAN RELATIONS

1. HRH PRINCE BANDAR BIN SULTAN PASSED THROUGH HONG KONG ON 8 JULY. WE MET HIM AT THE AIRPORT WHERE HE GAVE US A MESSAGE FOR THE PRIME

MINISTER.

2. HE APOLOGISED FOR NOT GETTING IT TO US BEFORE BUT SAID HE HAD HAD NO TIME TO BRIEF OUR AMBASSADORS IN WASHINGTON OR RIYADH BEFORE COMING TO HONG KONG. THE MESSAGE WAS AS FOLLOWS:

A) PRINCE BANDAR IS VISITING CHINA 9-11 JULY WITH THE AIM OF ESTABLISHING DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN SAUDI ARABIA AND CHINA. IF HIS TALKS ARE SUCCESSFUL HE WOULD EXPECT A VISIT TO SAUDI ARABIA BY THE CHINESE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS WITHIN THE NEXT TWO

WEEKS OR SO.

B) KING FAHD HAS ASKED PRINCE BANDAR TO CALL ON MRS THATCHER TO BRIEF HER AND TO SEEK HER VIEWS ON AN IMPORTANT (BUT NOT URGENT) MATTER TO DO WITH LEBANON. KING FAHD OR PRINCE BANDAR WILL SUBSEQUENTLY BE DISCUSSING THIS MATTER WITH PRESIDENT BUSH BUT AS USUAL WOULD VALUE A BRIEF SESSION WITH MRS THATCHER FIRST. PRINCE BANDAR PLANS TO BE IN LONDON ON 20 JULY. WOULD MRS THATCHER BE ABLE TO SPARE A FEW MINUTES TO SEE HIM THEN?

3. PRINCE BANDAR SAID THAT HE WOULD BE RETURNING TO SAUDI ARABIA FROM PEKING DIRECTLY AFTER HIS TALKS, PROBABLY ON 11 JULY. ON ARRIVAL IN RIYADH HE WILL CONTACT CHARLES POWELL IN THE USUAL WAY

TO ARRANGE DETAILS OF A CALL ON MRS THATCHER.

WILSON

YYYY

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