TNAG-2295-FCO40-3309-Possible-visit-by-the-Dalai-Lama-to-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 22

CONFIDENTIAL

FROM: Private Secretary

TO:

PS/No 10

DALAI LAMA

Thank you for your

letters of 22 and 24 October

about replies to letters about the Dalai Lama from Lord

Ennals and Sir Richard Luce.

We share your preference for telling Sir Richard Luce about the proposed meeting first rather than Lord Ennals. On further consideration, we also think it would

be better to be rather more discreet at this stage than we advised in my previous letter. To announce a meeting with the Dalai Lama too soon after Zou Jiahua's visit could jeopardise the goodwill engendered - with possible downside effects on the commercial prospects of Rolls-Royce and BAe. It would also badly affect the run-up to Lord Caithness' visit to China (26 November - 4 December). The Chinese would have ample time to build up a series of protests and might even cancel Lord Caithness's visit.

We therefore recommend that the Prime Minister might take Sir R Luce into his confidence while at the same time only hinting to Lord Ennals that a call might be possible, particularly if no prior publicity is

stirred up. We cannot guarantee that this gameplan will hold the line, but the longer before the news breaks, the

CONFIDENTIAL