TNAG-2036-FCO40-2900-Visits-from-countries-other-than-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 159

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

FM PEKING

TO ROUTINE F CO

TELNO 1020

OF 120656Z JULY 90

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, TOKYO

105

B7

PW.

112

141371

MDLIAN 5394

MKB 02617

RECEIV

1990

ig

YOUR TELNO 549.

VISIT TO HONG KONG AND CHINA BY SIR IDRIS PEARCE, NOVEMBER 1990.

1 WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING SIR IDRIS IN NOVEMBER.

·

H MA IS ON LEAVE AT PRESENT AND WOULD NEED TO BE CONSULTED ABOUT THE FORM AND TIMING OF ANY ENTERTAINMENT, ON HIS RETURN.

I AM SURE, HOWEVER, HE WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO OFFER SIR IDRIS ANY ASSISTANCE HE CAN DURING THE LATTER'S STAY IN PEKING.

2.

I APPRECIATE SIR IDRIS' KIND OFFER TO LOOK OVER THE DIPLOMATIC ESTATE. HOWEVER, I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE A PROFITABLE USE OF THE LIMITED TIME AVAILABLE TO HIM IN PEKING. WHILE THE RESIDENCE MIGHT BE OF PASSING INTEREST, SIR IDRIS IS UNLIKELY TO FIND A TOUR OF OUR FLATS, OR THE RATHER CRAMPED AND DILAPIDATED SURROUNDINGS IN WHICH WE WORK ARCHITECTURALLY UPLIFTING. THE ASIAN GAMES VILLAGE MIGHT PROVE MORE INTERESTING.

3

(YOUR PARA 3) THE CHINESE REQUEST MAY BE A PIECE OF GENTLE CONSULAR ADVICE FROM SIR IDRIS' HOSTS. NAMELY, THAT SHOULD ANY MEMBER OF HIS PARTY TRAVEL ON A BDTC OR BN (0) PASSPORT, OR ON A H K CERTIFICATE OF IDENTITY, AND ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTIES IN CHINA, THE EMBASSY WOULD HAVE LITTLE STANDING TO RAISE THE MATTER WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES. THE LATTER REGARD HOLDERS OF A/N TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AS CHINESE RATHER THAN BRITISH NATIONALS. IN PRACTICE WE DOUBT THAT THE CHINESE WOULD CREATE DIFFICULTIES FOR ANY BONA FIDE MEMBER OF SIR IDRIS' PARTY, WHATEVER THEIR BRITISH TRAVEL DOCUMENT.

COATES

YYYY

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