SECRET
FM FCO
SECRET
161537 MDHOAN 9727
TO DESKBY 13160OZ THE HAGUE
TELNO 71
OF 12130OZ MARCH 91
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG (VISITING) FROM BURNS, AUSS (FOR HONG KONG: PERSONAL FOR ACTING GOVERNOR)
(FOR PEKING: PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR, AND PAUL AND EHRMAN
(VISITING)
(FOR UKREP JLG HONG KONG: PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY)
FCO TELNO 67: PADS : THE WAY FORWARD
1.
WE ARE REPEATING TO YOU SEPARATELY PEKING TELNO 29. WE ARE MOST GRATEFUL FOR THESE HELPFUL COMMENTS FROM THE TEMPORARY COLLECTIVE IN PEKING AND FOR THE VIEWS IN HONG KONG TELNO 009 TO THE HAGUE.
2. WE VERY MUCH AGREE THAT THE FORMAL PROPOSAL OF A VISIT TO PEKING BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN EARLY APRIL AFFECTS THE CALCULATION OF OUR TACTICS. WE WANT TO USE THE PROSPECT OF THAT VISIT AS AN ENTICEMENT TO AN EARLY SATISFACTORY SOLUTION OF THIS PRESENT ARGUMENT. WE NOTE THE SUGGESTION THAT PARALLEL TALKS IN PEKING MIGHT BE NECESSARY ON THE 1984 PRECEDENT. WE SHALL NEED TO SEEK THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VIEWS ON THIS POINT (PRESUMABLY AFTER WE KNOW THE RESULTS OF THE FANLING MEETING). IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHO YOU THINK SHOULD COME UP TO PEKING FROM HONG KONG IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES. WE SHALL, INCIDENTALLY, TRY TO CONSTRUCT THE VISIT PROGRAMME IN SUCH A WAY THAT A RETURN TO PEKING AFTER THE WEEKEND COULD BE ARRANGED AT SHORT NOTICE IF THAT SEEMED SENSIBLE TO CLINCH A DEAL.
3. THE DILEMMA SPELT OUT IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF PEKING TELNO 29 IS ONE WHICH WE HAVE ALL IDENTIFIED IN EARLIER DISCUSSIONS. WE HOPE THEREFORE THAT A GENERAL MESSAGE, EXPLOITING THE IMMINENCE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT, WILL DO THE TRICK. EVEN AT FANLING, YOU MAY WANT TO TALK IN QUOTE ILLUSTRATIVE UNQUOTE TERMS OF THE LEVELS TO WHICH HONG KONG MIGHT COMMIT ITSELF. IF THE BAIT PROVES INSUFFICIENT, WE SHOULD HAVE TO THINK AGAIN, BUT IT IS ENCOURAGING THAT SIR D FORD HAS THE SENSE THAT LU PING IS WILLING TO GO TO FANLING.
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