TNAG-2232-FCO40-3204-Visits-by-David-Wilson--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-the-UK-and-1991 — Page 144

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 3144

OF 0808OOZ OCTOBER 91

CONFIDENTIAL

&

ADO DOL

1 &

017457 MDHIAN 6325

pa

HK B 027/1

173

YOUR TELNO 1793: MY VISIT TO LONDON: OCTOBER 1991.

400. 1991

1. WE HAVE NOT YET FORMALLY ANNOUNCED MY VISIT TO LONDON ALTHOUGH NEWS OF IT IS FAIRLY WIDESPREAD IN THE LOCAL MEDIA.

2. GRATEFUL TO KNOW DESKBY 09003OZ IF YOU HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO OUR ISSUING THE FOLLOWING PRESS RELEASE AT 1600 LOCAL TIME ON 9 OCTOBER:

'THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, WILL VISIT THE UK FROM 12-17

OCTOBER.

DURING HIS VISIT, THE GOVERNOR WILL CALL ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS AND LORD CAITHNESS, AND HAVE MEETINGS WITH FCO OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG MATTERS. HE WILL ALSO CALL ON MR. ARCHIE HAMILTON MP, THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR THE ARMED FORCES. THE GOVERNOR WILL GIVE A SPEECH AT THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL'S ANNUAL BERKELEY DINNER ON 15 OCTOBER.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT WAS ONE OF HIS REGULAR TRIPS TO LONDON TO DISCUSS MATTERS OF COMMON CONCERN WITH BRITISH MINISTERS AND OFFICIALS. THE TIMING OF IT WAS DICTATED BY HIS ACCEPTANCE OF AN INVITATION

TO ATTEND THE TDC DINNER'.

3. IN BACKGROUND BRIEFING, WE WILL EMPHASISE THAT THE TIMING OF THE VISIT WAS DICTATED BY THE TDC DINNER AND THAT IT IS NOT RELATED TO THE RECENT DISCUSSIONS IN HANOI ON VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS. WE WILL SAY THAT THE SUBJECT LIKELY TO BE DISCUSSED INCLUDE THE RECENT LEGCO ELECTIONS AND VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS. IF ASKED, WE WILL CONFIRM THAT MY FORTHCOMING APPOINTMENTS TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ARE ALSO LIKELY TO BE DISCUSSED, BUT I DO NOT WISH THIS TO BE SEEN AS THE MAIN REASON FOR MY VISIT.

WILSON

1

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL