TNAG-2049-FCO40-2919-Visits-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and--1990 — Page 9

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Hong Kong Department

DATE: 15 October 1990

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Mr McLaren

Mr Davies, FED

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Mr Whitehead, News Dept.

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LORD CAITHNESS' VISIT TO JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA: STOPOVER IN HONG KONG

1.

In his minute of 11 October, Mr Tibber asked whether it would be taken amiss in Hong Kong if Lord Caithness were to stopover briefly in Hong Kong without paying a more substantive visit; and whether, if he were to spend a day there, this might be the occasion to make contact with the NCNA.

2.

I doubt if people in Hong Kong would expect Lord Caithness to revisit the territory, so soon after his first visit, and so soon after meeting the Governor in London (in early December). If he were to do so, there might well be unhelpful speculation about possible reasons for this.

3.

I therefore suggest that the Minister plays this one absolutely straight. If his flight arrangements involve a

The stopover for a few minutes in Hong Kong, so be it. Governor could (and probably would) come out to the airport

But the as a courtesy, even for such a short stopover. stopover should otherwise be treated as something routine and natural, as one would expect, given Hong Kong's position as a regional air transport hub.

4. The point about making contact with the NCNA is an interesting one. In the past, as far as I am aware, no British Minister visiting Hong Kong has ever called on the NCNA. I think Sir D Wilson might be concerned that this would be giving Zhou Nan a little too much face. It would certainly cause raised eyebrows in Hong Kong if such a call were to be part of a stopover since it would look like Lord Caithness had changed his plans especially for Zhou Nan. in any case, we would need to seek the Governor's views about the general principle of including NCNA on a future visit.

Inather agace. If the Minister would like to fund langen in Hangkang we could (sha uld comall the bonemer. But-? thin hon this occasion a

JONAEW

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