TNAG-2351-FCO40-3421-Visits-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and--1991 — Page 47

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FM HONG KONG

19 APR 1991

DESK OFFICER

TO IMMEDIATE F CO

INDEX

PA

STRY Aution Taken

TELNO 899

OF 220925Z MARCH 91

07

013522 MDHIAN 9204

PERSONAL FOR PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR

PROPOSED VISIT BY LORD CAITHNESS

1.

I SEE FROM YOUR TELNO 247 TO PEKING THAT LORD CAITHNESS IS THINKING OF VISITING HONG KONG AND CHINA IN THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER. I REALISE THAT THIS WAS HIS ORIGINAL INTENTION, BUT I HAD THOUGHT THAT HIS PLANS MIGHT BE AFFECTED BY THE FACT THAT HE WILL BE VISITING HONG KONG IN JULY FOR THE HEADS OF MISSION CONFERENCE AND USING THE OPPORTUNITY TO CARRY OUT A SHORT PROGRAMME IN THE TERRITORY.

2.

ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT MY READING OF LORD CAITHNESS'S INTENTIONS IN JULY IS CORRECT, I WONDER IF IF IT IS REALLY SENSIBLE TO PLAN FOR A FULL-SCALE VISIT TO HONG KONG IN SEPTEMBER. I DO NOT THINK THAT FOR LORD CAITHNESS THE SAME NEED EXISTS, AS IT DOES WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE, FOR A VISIT TO CHINA TO BE PRECEDED BY CONSULTATIONS IN HONG KONG. IT WOULD OF COURSE BE NO PROBLEM IF HE WERE TO PASS THROUGH HONG KONG, SAY OVERNIGHT EITHER EN ROUTE TO OR ON HIS WAY BACK FROM PEKING.

3. GRATEFUL TO KNOW THE LATEST POSITION. AS YOU ARE AWARE, SEPTEMBER IS A NOTORIOUSLY BUSY MONTH IN HONG KONG SO FAR AS VISITORS ARE CONCERNED.

WILSON

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