CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 3475
OF 051006Z NOVEMBER 91
t
CONFIDENTIAL
Mus ca/3
33
134332 MDLIAN 1825
TOP COPY Q DIST?
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD FROM GOVERNOR.
(36
YOUR TELNO 1950: DAVOS WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM.
M
1 I HAD INDEED DECIDED THAT, NOT WITHSTANDING THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE PRINCE OF WALES AND THE PRIME MINISTER WOULD BE ATTENDING AT LEAST PART OF THE DAVOS CONFERENCE, I SHOULD NOT GO MYSELF.
2. AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE AN UNBREAKABLE COMMITMENT TO BE IN LONDON FOR THE HONG KONG GALA AT THE BARBICAN ON 22-23 JANUARY, AND PROPOSE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A TWO DAY VISIT TO BONN AND FRANKFURT EARLIER IN THE WEEK. IF I WAS TO GO TO DAVOS AS WELL, THIS WOULD MEAN EITHER TWO SEPARATE TRIPS TO EUROPE IN A VERY SHORT TIME OR ELSE BEING AWAY FROM HONG KONG FOR AT LEAST TWO COMPLETE WEEKS. AS THE THREE DAY CHINESE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY FALLS AT THE END OF THE DAVOS CONFERENCE, THIS WOULD MEAN BEING EFFECTIVELY OUT OF ACTION FOR ALMOST THREE WEEKS. THAT IS TOO
LONG.
3. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW THAT LI PENG HAS AGREED TO TAKE PART IN A SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE ON 1 FEBRUARY. IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE KIND OF INFORMAL CONTACT WITH LI THAT MIGHT MAKE IT WORTH TAKING A DIFFERENT VIEW ON WHETHER TO GO TO DAVOS. INDEED, THE MORE HIGH- POWERED THE CHINESE AND UK DELEGATIONS, THE LESS OF A ROLE I COULD PLAY ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG.
3. AS THINGS STAND AT THE MOMENT, AND AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THE CHIEF SECRETARY WILL LEAD THE HONG KONG DELEGATION.
WILSON
YYYY
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