TNAG-2047-FCO40-2917-Visits-by-staff-of-the-Department-of-Trade-and-Industry-to-H-1990 — Page 169

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO 1269

OF 061735Z JULY 90

CONFIDENTIAL

127042

MDLOAN 0151

TOP GORT Q DIST

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UL 1990

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PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD

24-24 septentr

VISIT OF LORD TREFGARNE TO HONG KONG: OCTOBER 1990

1.

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HAVE SOUGHT OUR ADVICE ABOUT ONE ASPECT OF THIS FORTHCOMING VISIT. IT SEEMS THAT LORD TREFGARNE HAS RECEIVED INVITATIONS, BOTH FROM YOU AND FROM PETER HEAP TO STAY AT YOUR RESPECTIVE HOUSES DURING THE VISIT. LORD TREFGARNE WILL NOW NEED TO DECIDE HOW TO RESPOND.

2.

OUR VIEW IS THAT IN PRINCIPLE WE SHOULD STICK TO THE NORMAL ARRANGEMENT WHEREBY MINISTERS STAY AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE, EVEN IF THEIR PROGRAMMES ARE ARRANGED AND RUN BY THE BRITISH TRADE COMMISSION. BUT WE DO SEE ADVANTAGE IN FLEXIBILITY, FOR EXAMPLE WHEN IT IS INCONVENIENT FOR YOU TO PUT UP A PARTICULAR VISITOR, OR IF OTHER SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS APPLY.

3. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THERE DO SEEM TO US TO BE ARGUMENTS FOR LORD TREFGARNE, AS A BRITISH MINISTER OF TRADE, STAYING WITH THE SENIOR BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER. WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE

DTI THAT WHEN YOU CALLED ON MR RIDLEY SOME MONTHS AGO, IN EXTENDING AN INVITATION TO LORD TREFGARNE, YOU MADE IT CLEAR THAT IF HE WISHED TO STAY ELSEWHERE YOU WOULD QUITE UNDERSTAND.

4. WE ARE THEREFORE INCLINED TO LEAVE IT TO LORD TREFGARNE TO DECIDE, AND WOULD PREFER NOT TO GIVE HIM A PARTICULAR STEER ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. MAY I ASSUME THAT YOU WOULD BE CONTENT WITH THIS APPROACH QUERY.

HURD

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