CONFIDENTIAL
18
070050
MDLIAN 4533
CONFIDENTIAL
FM TOKYO
TO ROUTINE HONG KONG
TELNO 1
OF 31070OZ JANUARY 90
INFO ROUTINE FCO
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FCO FOR PAUL, HKD
YOUR TELNO 240 TO FCO:
1.
HKB 026/11
RECEIVED IN
14 FEB 1990
DES OFFICE
INDEX
RY
YOUR TRAVEL PLANS
THANK YOU FOR THE EARLY WARNING THAT YOU PLAN TO VISIT JAPAN IN NOVEMBER WITH A TDC DELEGATION. I ASSUME THIS NOW REPLACES YOUR EARLIER INTENTION OF ATTENDING THE PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE HONG KONG/JAPAN ECONOMIC COOPERATION COMMITTEE IN JUNE (YOUR TELNO 3991 TO FCO, AND MY MISC 157 TO HONG KONG OF 1989. NOVEMBER HOWEVER POSES SOME DIFFICULTIES AT THIS END.
2.
FIRST, ON SUBSTANCE I AM SURE THAT YOU WILL NOT WISH TO CONCENTRATE ON TRADE ISSUES EXCLUSIVELY. FOLLOWING RECENT MEETINGS WITH MINISTERS, AND NAKAYAMA'S OWN MEETING WITH YOU LAST NOVEMBER, HONG KONG IS BEGINNING TO IMPINGE ON THE MINDS OF OPINION FORMERS HERE AS A POLITICAL AS WELL AS A COMMERCIAL ISSUE. BUT THERE IS STILL A GOOD DEAL TO DO TO KEEP HONG KONG, AND JAPAN'S ROLE IN ITS FUTURE, IN THE PUBLIC EYE. I WOULD THEREFORE ENVISAGE YOUR VISIT BEING PLAYED IN MAJOR KEY, INCLUDING MEETINGS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER AND OTHER KEY MINISTERS AND POLITICIANS AS WELL AS TOP BUSINESSMEN. THERE WOULD BE SCOPE FOR PERHAPS A MAJOR SPEECH AND A ROUND OF PRESS INTERVIEWS, IF YOU AGREE.
3.
UNFORTUNATELY HOWEVER NOVEMBER WOULD BE A BAD MONTH FOR A VISIT ON THESE LINES. WORLD LEADERS WILL ASSEMBLE HERE ON AND AROUND 12/13 NOVEMBER FOR THE EMPEROR'S ENTHRONEMENT. WE OURSELVES EXPECT A SENIOR ROYAL VISITOR THEN. A FURTHER ROUND OF CEREMONIES WILL ENGROSS JAPANESE ATTENTION ON 22/23 NOVEMBER. SERIOUS BUSINESS IS THEREFORE UNLIKELY TO BE POSSIBLE EXCEPT AT THE VERY BEGINNING OR END OF THE MONTH. YOU ARE OF COURSE WELCOME AT ANY TIME BUT YOU MAY LIKE TO BEAR THESE PROBLEMS IN MIND IN YOUR FUTHER PLANNING.
WHITEHEAD
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL
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