TNAG-2352-FCO40-3422-Visits-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and--1991 — Page 83

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2255

OF 161006Z JULY 91

CONFIDENTIAL

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INFO ROUTINE BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

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073424

MDLIAN 6230

VISIT OF LORD CAITHNESS.

1. WE UNDERSTAND THAT LORD CAITHNESS HAS ASKED THROUGH THE HONG

KONG BANK OFFICE IN LONDON FOR A MEETING WITH WILLIE PURVES

DURING HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG NEXT WEEK.

2. PURVES MAY HAVE TO LEAVE HONG KONG ON A BUSINESS TRIP LATE ON TUESDAY 23 JULY. LORD CAITHNESS'S PROGRAMME ON 22 AND 23 JULY IS

ALREADY EXTREMELY TIGHT. THE ONLY POSSIBILITIES SEEM TO BE:

(A) A MEETING AT 11.30 AM ON 22 JULY, IMMEDIATELY AFTER LORD CAITHNESS'S ARRIVAL AT GH:

(B) LORD CAITHNESS TO LEAVE THE CONFERENCE SLIGHTLY BEFORE ITS SCHEDULED CLOSE AT 6 PM ON 22 JULY FOR, SAY, A 5.15 PM MEETING:

OR

(C) PURVES TO COME TO GH AT ABOUT 8.30 AM ON 23 JULY.

3. WE HAVE RECEIVED A REQUEST TO MEET LORD CAITHNESS FROM ''VISION 2047'', A GROUP OF PROMINENT PROFESSIONALS AND BUSINESSMEN IN HONG KONG FORMED AFTER JUNE 1989 TO PROMOTE THE POSITIVE SIDE OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE, BOTH LOCALLY AND OVERSEAS (SEE BACKGROUND BRIEF IN MIFT). THIS IS A GROUP WORTH ENCOURAGING, BUT ITS REQUEST COMES VERY LATE. LORD CAITHNESS'S PROGRAMME IS SO TIGHT THAT FITTING IN A MEETING WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND MIGHT BE POSSIBLE ONLY AT THE EXPENSE OF THE TIME SET ASIDE FOR ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE. AN ALTERNATIVE TO MEETING THE GROUP WOULD BE TO ASK THEM TO SEND LORD CAITHNESS A COPY OF ITS PUBLICITY MATERIAL AND TO HOLD OUT THE POSSIBILITY

OF A MEETING ON A SUBSEQUENT VISIT.

4. GRATEFUL FOR ADVICE ON BOTH THE POINTS ABOVE.

WILSON