TNAG-2050-FCO40-2920-Visits-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and--1990 — Page 128

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 2129

OF 12091OZ NOVEMBER 90

CONFIDENTIAL

101

062325

MDHOAN 1289

нив

RECEIVERS 26/34

DE

14 NOV 1990

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD

LORD CAITHNESS' TRAVEL PLANS

ལྷ་

INDE

LORD CAITHNESS HAS RECENTLY BEEN GIVING CONSIDERATION TO HIS FUTURE TRAVEL PLANS, INCLUDING VISITS TO HONG KONG.

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2.

HE IS KEEN TO ESTABLISH A SIX MONTH CYCLE OF VISITS TO HONG KONG. HE IS OF THE VIEW THAT REGULAR VISITS OF SHORTISH DURATION SHOULD HELP ESTABLISH THEM AS A ROUTINE AND TO DAMPEN THEIR PUBLIC AND PRESS PROFILE.

3. IN ORDER TO AVOID A VISIT IN TOO CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S PROPOSED VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG IN THE SPRING, LORD CAITHNESS WOULD LIKE TO FIT IN A VISIT TO HONG KONG BEFORE A TRIP TO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND WHICH HE WILL BE MAKING BETWEEN 22 FEBRUARY AND 9 MARCH.

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LORD CAITHNESS WOULD LIKE TO COMBINE A VISIT TO HONG KONG WITH ONE TO THE PHILIPPINES, TAKING IN THE REFUGEE TRANSIT CAMP/REFUGEE TRANSIT CAMP AT BATAAN. CONVENIENT DATES FOR SUCH A TRIP WOULD BE TO DEPART LONDON FOR MANILA ON 24 JANUARY, ARRIVING IN HONG KONG VIA MANILA ON 29 JANUARY, RETURNING TO LONDON ON 1 FEBRUARY. GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER THESE DATES WOULD BE CONVENIENT FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW.

5. LORD CAITHNESS ENVISAGES THAT, SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS,

HIS NEXT VISIT TO HONG KONG

MIGHT THEN TAKE PLACE IN SEPTEMBER, AS PART OF A VISIT TO CHINA.

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YOU SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT LORD CAITHNESS WILL BE TRANSITING HONG KONG ON HIS RETURN FROM SEOUL ON 16 DECEMBER, ARRIVING HONG KONG ON CX411 AT 2120 HOURS DEPARTING ON BA28 AT 2230 HOURS. IN THE TIME AVAILABLE, IT WOULD CLEARLY NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR LORD CAITHNESS TO DO ANYTHING SUBSTANTIVE ON THAT OCCASION. NOR DOES LORD CAITHNESS SEE MUCH POINT IN EXTENDING THE STOP-OVER INTO, SAY, A 24 HOUR WORKING VISIT, SO SOON AFTER

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CONFIDENTIAL